The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: and he had paid a price for it. I reflected acutely that the sense
of such differences, such superiorities of quality, always, on the part
of the majority--which could include even stupid, sordid headmasters--
turn infallibly to the vindictive.
Both the children had a gentleness (it was their only fault,
and it never made Miles a muff) that kept them--how shall I
express it?--almost impersonal and certainly quite unpunishable.
They were like the cherubs of the anecdote, who had--
morally, at any rate--nothing to whack! I remember feeling
with Miles in especial as if he had had, as it were, no history.
We expect of a small child a scant one, but there was in this
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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 Pierrette by Honore de Balzac: Chargeboeuf; it should be announced that very day and the banns
published on Sunday. The contract could be drawn immediately.
Mademoiselle Rogron agreed, in consideration of the marriage, to
appear in the contract as settling her capital on her brother,
retaining only the income of it. Vinet made Rogron and his sister
comprehend the necessity of antedating the document by two or three
days, so as to commit the mother and daughter in the eyes of the
public and give them a reason for continuing their visits.
"Sign that contract and I'll take upon myself to get you safely out of
this affair," said the lawyer. "There will be a terrible fight; but I
will put my whole soul into it--you'll have to make me a votive
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