The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart: at that time with groves of trees, with canals overhung with pollard
willows, and with here and there a farmhouse that at night took on in
the starlight the appearance of being whole again.
Singularly white and peaceful were those small steadings of Belgium in
the night hours - until cruel dawn showed them for what they were -
skeletons of dead homes, clothed only at night with wraithlike roofs and
chimneys; ghosts of houses, appearing between midnight and cock crow.
Jean had not Henri's eyes nor his recklessness nor his speed, for that
matter. Now and then he saw the small appearing and disappearing lights
on some smaIl rise. He would reach the spot, with such shelter as
possible, to find only a sugar-beet field, neglected and unplowed.
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: seemed to have been collected in shambles and rag shops, he offered
it to Mrs Verloc for inspection.
"I suppose you recognise this?"
She took it mechanically in both her hands. Her eyes seemed to
grow bigger as she looked.
"Yes," she whispered, then raised her head, and staggered backward
a little.
"Whatever for is it torn out like this?"
The Chief Inspector snatched across the counter the cloth out of
her hands, and she sat heavily on the chair. He thought:
identification's perfect. And in that moment he had a glimpse into
![](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0375752528.01.MZZZZZZZ.gif) The Secret Agent |