| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw: PERCIVAL. _[rising, to Hypatia]_ I'm afraid I shall have to dine at
the Beacon, Patsy.
HYPATIA. _[rising]_ Do. I dine with you.
TARLETON. Did you hear me tell you to leave the room?
HYPATIA. I did. _[To Percival]_ You see what living with one's
parents means, Joey. It means living in a house where you can be
ordered to leave the room. Ive got to obey: it's his house, not
mine.
TARLETON. Who pays for it? Go and support yourself as I did if you
want to be independent.
HYPATIA. I wanted to and you wouldnt let me. How can I support
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sarrasine by Honore de Balzac: and so ingenuous, that he had to undergo the innocent scruples with
which we are assailed when we love for the first time. As he began to
realize that he would soon be required to bestir himself, to intrigue,
to ask where La Zambinella lived, to ascertain whether she had a
mother, an uncle, a guardian, a family,--in a word, as he reflected
upon the methods of seeing her, of speaking to her, he felt that his
heart was so swollen with such ambitious ideas, that he postponed
those cares until the following day, as happy in his physical
sufferings as in his intellectual pleasures."
"But," said Madame de Rochefide, interrupting me, "I see nothing of
Marianina or her little old man in all this."
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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 Anthem by Ayn Rand: and we followed the path where the branches
were broken by your body."
Their white tunic was torn, and the
branches had cut the skin of their arms,
but they spoke as if they had never taken
notice of it, nor of weariness, nor of fear.
"We have followed you," they said,
"and we shall follow you wherever you go.
If danger threatens you, we shall face it also.
If it be death, we shall die with you. You are damned,
and we wish to share your damnation."
Anthem |
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 Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: gift between husband and wife; and in the second case that the entail
shall be declared void. This agreement concerns the wife's interest."
"Both clauses seem to me perfectly just," said Maitre Mathias. "As to
their ratification, Monsieur le comte can, doubtless, come to an
understanding with the chancellor, if necessary."
Solonet took a pen and added this momentous clause on the margin of
the contract. Paul and Natalie paid no attention to the matter; but
Madame Evangelista dropped her eyes while Maitre Mathias read the
added sentence aloud.
"We will now sign," said the mother.
The volume of voice which Madame Evangelista repressed as she uttered
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