| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: Enjoyment seemed to have made Caroline as light as the straw of her
hat; but when she saw the Gentleman in Black, radiant hope suddenly
eclipsed her bright dress and her beauty. The Stranger, who appeared
to be in doubt, had not perhaps made up his mind to be the girl's
escort for the day till this revelation of the delight she felt on
seeing him. He at once hired a vehicle with a fairly good horse, to
drive to Saint-Leu-Taverny, and he offered Madame Crochard and her
daughter seats by his side. The mother accepted without ado; but
presently, when they were already on the way to Saint-Denis, she was
by way of having scruples, and made a few civil speeches as to the
possible inconvenience two women might cause their companion.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: of a municipal board of the city of Paris, where he was safe from
changes in Legislature. These bounties, bestowed without parade, and
as secret as the favor enjoyed by the Count, fell unperceived. Though
the father and his three sons each had sinecures enough to enjoy an
income in salaries almost equal to that of a chief of department,
their political good fortune excited no envy. In those early days of
the constitutional system, few persons had very precise ideas of the
peaceful domain of the civil service, where astute favorites managed
to find an equivalent for the demolished abbeys. Monsieur le Comte de
Fontaine, who till lately boasted that he had not read the Charter,
and displayed such indignation at the greed of courtiers, had, before
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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 End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: do now is to try whether you could get a sailor to join
you as partner. That seems to be the only way.' And
that was sound advice, Harry."
Captain Whalley, leaning on his stick, was perfectly
still all over, and his hand, arrested in the act of strok-
ing, grasped his whole beard. And what did the fellow
say to that?
The fellow had the audacity to fly out at the Master-
Attendant. He had received the advice in a most im-
pudent manner. "I didn't come here to be laughed at,"
he had shrieked. "I appeal to you as an Englishman
End of the Tether |
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 Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: herself. "He loves me!" The certainty sufficed her. It is
enough for the miser to know that his every whim might be
fulfilled if he chose; so it was with the Duchess, and perhaps
she did not even go so far as to form a wish.
One evening she chanced to be at the house of an intimate friend
Mme la Vicomtesse de Fontaine, one of the humble rivals who
cordially detested her, and went with her everywhere. In a
"friendship" of this sort both sides are on their guard, and
never lay their armour aside; confidences are ingeniously
indiscreet, and not unfrequently treacherous. Mme de Langeais
had distributed her little patronising, friendly, or freezing
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