| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: made the boatman stop, and gave himself up to the pleasure of
listening to an Italian air delightfully sung. When the singing
ceased, Rodolphe landed and sent away the boat and rowers. At the cost
of wetting his feet, he went to sit down under the water-worn granite
shelf crowned by a thick hedge of thorny acacia, by the side of which
ran a long lime avenue in the Bergmanns' garden. By the end of an hour
he heard steps and voices just above him, but the words that reached
his ears were all Italian, and spoken by two women.
He took advantage of the moment when the two speakers were at one end
of the walk to slip noiselessly to the other. After half an hour of
struggling he got to the end of the avenue, and there took up a
Albert Savarus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie: I hadn't a suspicion of you! So I've no doubt that you understand
perfectly well that this is where I'm on top and you're
underneath. Now then--sit on the bed. Put your hands above your
head, and if you value your life don't move them."
Tuppence obeyed passively. Her good sense told her that there
was nothing else to do but accept the situation. If she shrieked
for help there was very little chance of anyone hearing her,
whereas there was probably quite a good chance of Mrs.
Vandemeyer's shooting her. In the meantime, every minute of delay
gained was valuable.
Mrs. Vandemeyer laid down the revolver on the edge of the
Secret Adversary |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: bandana handkerchief knotted over hair which she still continued to
put in curl papers (using for that purpose the printed circulars which
her master received), and a huge pair of gold earrings like cart-
wheels in her ears. This female Cerberus carried a battered skillet in
one hand, and opening the door, set free an imprisoned odor of
scorched milk--a nauseous and penetrating smell, that lost itself at
once, however, among the fumes outside.
"What can I do for you, missus?" demanded Mme. Sauvage, and with a
truculent air she looked La Cibot over; evidently she was of the
opinion that the visitor was too well dressed, and her eyes looked the
more murderous because they were naturally bloodshot.
|
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 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: defenseless woman was either forgotten or ignored by
her black captors. A score of times was her life
menaced by charging lions, by plunging horses, or by
the wildly fired bullets of the frightened troopers,
yet there was no chance of escape, for now with the
fiendish cunning of their kind, the tawny hunters
commenced to circle about their prey, hemming them
within a ring of mighty, yellow fangs, and sharp, long
talons. Again and again an individual lion would dash
suddenly among the frightened men and horses, and
occasionally a horse, goaded to frenzy by pain or
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
