| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: added color to the detective's charges. Why was he hiding
unless from guilty motives, and where had he gone? Kent shook a
bewildered head.
"It is plausible," he conceded, "but, after all, only
circumstantial evidence."
"Well, circumstantial evidence is good enough for me to work on,"
retorted Ferguson. "On discovering that the telegram from Cleveland
was a hoax, I concluded Ferguson might be lurking around Washington
and so sent a description of him to the different precincts and
secured a search warrant."
"You did?"
The Red Seal |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Desert Gold by Zane Grey: into the restaurant, went through, and halted in the door leading
into the saloon. His five feet eleven inches and one hundred and
eighty pounds were more noticeable there, and it was part of his
plan to attract attention to himself. No one, however, appeared
to notice him. The pool-players were noisily intent on their game,
the same crowd of motley-robed Mexicans hung over the reeking bar.
Gale's roving glance soon fixed upon the man he took to be Rojas.
He recognized the huge, high-peaked, black sombrero with its
ornamented band. The Mexican's face was turned aside. He was in
earnest, excited colloquy with a dozen or more comrades, most of
whom were sitting round a table. They were listening, talking,
Desert Gold |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Poems by Oscar Wilde: Poem: To Milton
Milton! I think thy spirit hath passed away
From these white cliffs and high-embattled towers;
This gorgeous fiery-coloured world of ours
Seems fallen into ashes dull and grey,
And the age changed unto a mimic play
Wherein we waste our else too-crowded hours:
For all our pomp and pageantry and powers
We are but fit to delve the common clay,
Seeing this little isle on which we stand,
This England, this sea-lion of the sea,
|
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 Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: body, while Brian de Bois-Guilbert, who had been
rated as having done second-best in the preceding
day, was named first champion of the other band.
Those who had concurred in the challenge adhered
to his party of course, excepting only Ralph de Vipont,
whom his fall had rendered unfit so soon to
put on his armour. There was no want of distinguished
and noble candidates to fill up the ranks
on either side.
In fact, although the general tournament, in
which all knights fought at once, was more dangerous
Ivanhoe |
