| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: take possession. As our boats neared the craft it blew up with a
tremendous explosion; one of the boats being too near got
swamped. Two men drowned--that is the result of your
speculation, Mr. Almayer. Now we want this Dain. We have good
grounds to suppose he is hiding in Sambir. Do you know
where he is? You had better put yourself right with the
authorities as much as possible by being perfectly frank with me.
Where is this Dain?"
Almayer got up and walked towards the balustrade of the verandah.
He seemed not to be thinking of the officer's question. He
looked at the body laying straight and rigid under its white
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mother by Owen Wister: world. The idea held a daily pathos for them. Many had themselves been
through such leave takings; and no word so stirs the general heart as the
word 'mother'. Song writers know this; and the artist knew it when he
decided to paint 'Breaking Home Ties.' And 'Mother' is the title of my
story to-night."
"Mother!" This was Ethel's bewildered echo, "Whose Mother?" she softly
murmured to herself.
Richard continued. "It concerns the circumstances under which I became
engaged to my wife."
There was a movement from Ethel as she sat by the sofa.
"Not all the circumstances, of course," the narrator continued, with a
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