| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: and they were on the morrow superior!
THE CHAPTER OF THE CONGREGATION
(LXII. Medinah.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
What is in the heavens and what is in the earth celebrates the
praises of God the King, the holy, the mighty, the wise!
He it is who sent unto the Gentiles a prophet amongst themselves
to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them
the Book and the wisdom, although they were before in obvious error.
And others of them have not yet overtaken them; but He is the
mighty, the wise!
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: sword has ceased to be part of the masculine costume. But in the
effect of eyelids and lashes, in the contraction of the gaze, in
the twitching of the lips, is there not some influence that
communicates the terror which they express with such vivid
magnetic power?
"Ah, if I were free, if----"
"Oh! is it only your husband that stands in the way?" the
General exclaimed joyfully, as he strode to and fro in the
boudoir. "Dear Antoinette, I wield a more absolute power than
the Autocrat of all the Russias. I have a compact with Fate; I
can advance or retard destiny, so far as men are concerned, at my
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: tatters and the moccasins worn through. His face was pinched with suffering
and one arm was bleeding from a gunshot wound near the shoulder.
"Can you not speak? Who are you?" asked Clarke, supporting the limp figure.
The man made several efforts to answer, and finally said something that to
Alfred sounded like "Zane," then he fell to the ground unconscious.
All this time the dog had acted in a most peculiar manner, and if Alfred had
not been so intent on the man he would have noticed the animal's odd
maneuvers. He ran to and fro on the sandy beach; he scratched up the sand and
pebbles, sending them flying in the air; he made short, furious dashes; he
jumped, whirled, and, at last, crawled close to the motionless figure and
licked its hand.
Betty Zane |
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 Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: And will they be all punctual, I wonder? An enterprise that hangs
on the punctuality of many people, no matter how well disposed and
even heroic, hangs on a thread. This I have perceived to be also
the greatest of Dominic's concerns. He, too, wonders. And when he
breathes his doubts the smile lurking under the dark curl of his
moustaches is not reassuring.
But there is also something exciting in such speculations and the
road to the Villa seemed to me shorter than ever before.
Let in by the silent, ever-active, dark lady's maid, who is always
on the spot and always on the way somewhere else, opening the door
with one hand, while she passes on, turning on one for a moment her
The Arrow of Gold |
