| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: pretty boots. He is, I don't doubt it, the leader of that gang of
devils, visible and invisible, who know all my secrets, open my locks,
rob me, murder me! They have grown rich out of me, Tristan. Ha! this
time we shall get back the treasure, for the fellow has the face of
the king of Egypt. I shall recover my dear rubies, and all the sums I
have lost; and our worthy king shall have his share in the harvest."
"Oh, our hiding-places are much more secure than yours!" said Georges,
smiling.
"Ha! the damned thief, he confesses!" cried the miser.
The grand provost was engaged in attentively examining Georges
d'Estouteville's clothes and the lock of the door.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: bones, because the vultures had picked them every one, except Galazi,
for on the breast of Galazi lay the old wolf Deathgrip, that was yet
alive. I drew near the body, and the great wolf struggled to his feet
and ran at me with bristling hair and open jaws, from which no sound
came. Then, being spent, he rolled over dead.
Now I looked round seeking the axe Groan-Maker among the bones of the
slain, and did not find it and the hope came into my heart that
Umslopogaas had escaped the slaughter. Then we went on in silence to
where I knew the cave must be, and there by its mouth lay the body of
a man. I ran to it--it was Umslopogaas, wasted with hunger, and in his
temple was a great wound and on his breast and limbs were many other
Nada the Lily |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: the burden of his care. Happening to glance downward, he saw the
reflection of Ginevra's lamp on the opposite wall, and the poor fellow
guessed the truth. He went down, stepping softly, and surprised his
wife in her studio, coloring engravings.
"Oh, Ginevra!" he cried.
She gave a convulsive bound in her chair, and blushed.
"Could I sleep while you were wearing yourself out with toil?" she
said.
"But to me alone belongs the right to work in this way," he answered.
"Could I be idle," she asked, her eyes filling with tears, "when I
know that every mouthful we eat costs a drop of your blood? I should
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: For glaunsing ee, or brow so brent,
Or cheek with rose and lilye blent,
Me lists not ficht with the. ROMANCE OF THE FALCON.
The tower, before which the party now stood, was a small square
building, of the most gloomy aspect. The walls were of great
thickness, and the windows, or slits which served the purpose of
windows, seemed rather calculated to afford the defenders the
means of employing missile weapons, than for admitting air or
light to the apartments within. A small battlement projected
over the walls on every side, and afforded farther advantage of
defence by its niched parapet, within which arose a steep roof,
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