| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: said the detective, paying no heed to the other's astonishment.
The goldsmith opened a small locked drawer, took a ring from it and
set about an examination of the two little objects. When he turned
to his visitor again, he was evidently satisfied with what he had
discovered. "These two objects are made of exactly the same sort
of gold, of a peculiar old French composition, which can no longer
be produced in the same richness. The weight of the gold in the
bullet is exactly the same as in the ring."
"Would you be willing to take an oath on that if you were called
in as an expert?"
"I am willing to stand up for my judgment."
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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 Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: here," turning to me, "may be more fortunate. You are to have six
months' leave; I have decided on giving you the young man we spoke of
yesterday as colleague. Amuse yourself at Clochegourde, friend Cato!"
and he laughed as he had himself wheeled out of the room.
I flew like a swallow to Touraine. For the first time I was to show
myself to my beloved, not merely a little less insignificant, but
actually in the guise of an elegant young man, whose manners had been
formed in the best salons, his education finished by gracious women;
who had found at last a compensation for all his sufferings, and had
put to use the experience given to him by the purest angel to whom
heaven had ever committed the care of a child. You know how my mother
The Lily of the Valley |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling: each side rowed and sang against the other. They saw
that no man Was idle. Truly, as Hugh said, and Witta
would laugh at him, a ship is all more care than a Manor.
'How? Thus. There was water to fetch from the shore
when we could find it, as well as wild fruit and grasses,
and sand for scrubbing of the decks and benches to keep
them sweet. Also we hauled the ship out on low islands
and emptied all her gear, even to the iron wedges, and
burned off the weed, that had grown on her, with torches
of rush, and smoked below the decks with rushes
dampened in salt water, as Hlaf the Woman orders in her
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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 Call of the Wild by Jack London: fore leg. Despite the pain and helplessness, Spitz struggled
madly to keep up. He saw the silent circle, with gleaming eyes,
lolling tongues, and silvery breaths drifting upward, closing in
upon him as he had seen similar circles close in upon beaten
antagonists in the past. Only this time he was the one who was
beaten.
There was no hope for him. Buck was inexorable. Mercy was a
thing reserved for gender climes. He manoeuvred for the final
rush. The circle had tightened till he could feel the breaths of
the huskies on his flanks. He could see them, beyond Spitz and to
either side, half crouching for the spring, their eyes fixed upon
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