| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Message by Honore de Balzac: tone in her voice; I made no reply, only looked at the unhappy
woman in helpless bewilderment.
"Monsieur, monsieur, give me an answer!" she cried.
"Yes, madame."
"Is it true? Oh! tell me the truth; I can hear the truth. Tell me
the truth! Any pain would be less keen than this suspense."
I answered by two tears wrung from me by that strange tone of
hers. She leaned against a tree with a faint, sharp cry.
"Madame, here comes your husband!"
"Have I a husband?" and with those words she fled away out of
sight.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum: This accomplished, they all entered the passage,
the nomes going first to light the way with their
torches. They had not proceeded far when Betsy
exclaimed:
"Why, there are jewels here, too!"
All eyes were turned upon the ground and they
found a regular trail of jewels strewn along the
rock floor.
"This is queer!" said Kaliko, much surprised. "I
must send some of my nomes to gather up these gems
and replace them in the Metal Forest, where they
Tik-Tok of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: "Well, Ned!" said Conseil.
"My word!" returned the Canadian, "I begin to understand
the charms of anthropophagy."
"Ned! Ned! what are you saying? You, a man-eater? I should
not feel safe with you, especially as I share your cabin.
I might perhaps wake one day to find myself half devoured."
"Friend Conseil, I like you much, but not enough to eat you unnecessarily."
"I would not trust you," replied Conseil. "But enough.
We must absolutely bring down some game to satisfy this cannibal,
or else one of these fine mornings, master will find only pieces
of his servant to serve him."
20,000 Leagues Under 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 The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: I went out by the little gate of the lower terrace, which she opened
for me. Just as she was about to close it she opened it again and
offered me her hand, saying: "You have been truly good to me this
evening; you have comforted my whole future; take it, my friend, take
it."
I kissed her hand again and again, and when I raised my eyes I saw the
tears in hers. She returned to the upper terrace and I watched her for
a moment from the meadow. When I was on the road to Frapesle I again
saw her white robe shimmering in a moonbeam; then, a few moments
later, a light was in her bedroom.
"Oh, my Henriette!" I cried, "to you I pledge the purest love that
The Lily of the Valley |
