| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: forget that you're seeing us in the summer, when you have come to
us and we are not alone.... But we came here early in the spring,
lived quite alone, and shall be alone again, and I desire nothing
better. But imagine me living alone without him, alone, and that
will be ...I see by everything that it will often be repeated,
that he will be half the time away from home," she said, getting
up and sitting down close by Dolly.
"Of course," she interrupted Dolly, who would have answered, "of
course I won't try to keep him by force. I don't keep him indeed.
The races are just coming, his horses are running, he will go.
I'm very glad. But think of me, fancy my position.... But what's
Anna Karenina |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: repeat the Nembutsu for me... quickly!... Ah!...
With another cry of pain she turned aside her beautiful head, and tried to
hide her face behind her sleeve. But almost in the same moment her whole
form appeared to collapse in the strangest way, and to sank down, down,
down -- level with the floor. Tomotada had spring to support her;-- but
there was nothing to support! There lay on the matting only the empty robes
of the fair creature and the ornaments that she had worn in her hair: the
body had ceased to exist...
Tomotada shaved his head, took the Buddhist vows, and became an itinerant
priest. He traveled through all the provinces of the empire; and, at holy
places which he visited, he offered up prayers for the soul of Aoyagi.
Kwaidan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Faith of Men by Jack London: and strength bend his body back across her knee. Her knife was out
of its sheaf and uplifted, glinting in the lamplight. Amos was
snarling; but Bonner intervened ere the blade could fall.
"That's a good girl, Jees Uck. But never mind. Let him go!"
She dropped the man obediently, though with protest writ large on
her face; and his body thudded to the floor. Bonner nudged him
with his moccasined foot.
"Get up, Amos!" he commanded. "You've got to pack an outfit yet
to-night and hit the trail."
"You don't mean to say--" Amos blurted savagely.
"I mean to say that you tried to kill me," Neil went on in cold,
|
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 Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: A sudden sickness ran through the lawyer and sapped his strength.
He leaned against the desk uncertainly. It had come at last. The
whole world would learn the truth about him. The Merrills, the
Fromes, Valencia Van Tyle--all of them would know it and scorn
him.
"What are you doing here?" James heard himself say hoarsely.
"Why, I--I--I came to see my son."
"What for?"
Before so harsh and abrupt a reception the weak smile went out
like a blown candle.
"I thought you'd be glad to see me--after so many years."
|
