| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: the Frau Doktor, presumably examining a timetable, as near to the august
skirts as possible.
"But where is my maid?" asked the Baroness.
"There was no maid," replied the manager, "save for your gracious sister
and daughter."
"Sister!" she cried sharply. "Fool, I have no sister. My child travelled
with the daughter of my dressmaker."
Tableau grandissimo!
4. FRAU FISCHER.
Frau Fischer was the fortunate possessor of a candle factory somewhere on
the banks of the Eger, and once a year she ceased from her labours to make
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: treble. The train's arrival brought quick sadness to her face, but she
made herself bright again with a special farewell for each acquaintance.
"Don't you ride any more cow-catchers," she warned Billy Lusk, "or I'll
have to come back and look after you."
"You said you and me were going for a ride, and we ain't," shouted the
long-memoried nine-year-old. "You will," murmured Mr. McLean, oracularly.
As the train's pace quickened he did not step off, and Miss Buckner cried
"Jump!"
"Too late," said he, placidly. Then he called to me, "I'm hard to beat,
too!" So the train took them both away, as I might have guessed was his
intention all along.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: between the two, conveying bitter and shameful terms of
reproach, which were not false indeed, for that matter, only it
was senseless and ridiculous for each to assail the other with
accusations to which both alike must plead guilty. For it were
hard to determine which of the two had been most profuse, most
effeminate, which was most a novice in military affairs, and
most involved in debt through previous want of means.
As to the prodigies and apparitions that happened about this
time, there were many reported which none could answer for, or
which were told in different ways, but one which everybody
actually saw with their eyes was the statue in the capitol, of
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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 Persuasion by Jane Austen: and encouraged, and I know he did not choose to go. I can satisfy you,
perhaps, on points which you would little expect; and as to his marriage,
I knew all about it at the time. I was privy to all the fors and againsts;
I was the friend to whom he confided his hopes and plans; and though
I did not know his wife previously, her inferior situation in society,
indeed, rendered that impossible, yet I knew her all her life afterwards,
or at least till within the last two years of her life, and can answer
any question you may wish to put."
"Nay," said Anne, "I have no particular enquiry to make about her.
I have always understood they were not a happy couple. But I should
like to know why, at that time of his life, he should slight
Persuasion |
