| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI.
The Gift of the Magi |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: and blue striped bags.
"You'll get varicose veins, like me," said Anna. "That's what the Frau's
got, too. No wonder the baby doesn't come! All her swelling's got into
her legs." And Hans was immensely interested.
During the morning business was comparatively slack. Sabina answered the
shop bell, attended to a few customers who drank a liqueur to warm their
stomachs before the midday meal, and ran upstairs now and again to ask the
Frau if she wanted anything. But in the afternoon six or seven choice
spirits played cards, and everybody who was anybody drank tea or coffee.
"Sabina...Sabina..."
She flew from one table to the other, counting out handfuls of small
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: like an experienced physician, had put his finger at once on the sore
spot. The Comtesse's husband did not reply.
" 'Well,' said Gobseck, taking the pained silence for answer, 'I know
your story by heart. The woman is a fiend, but perhaps you love her
still; I can well believe it; she made an impression on me. Perhaps,
too, you would rather save your fortune, and keep it for one or two of
your children? Well, fling yourself into the whirlpool of society,
lose that fortune at play, come to Gobseck pretty often. The world
will say that I am a Jew, a Tartar, a usurer, a pirate, will say that
I have ruined you! I snap my fingers at them! If anybody insults me, I
lay my man out; nobody is a surer shot nor handles a rapier better
Gobseck |
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 Bucky O'Connor by William MacLeod Raine: ordered O'Halloran.
"But she wanted it as soon as I could get it, sir."
"Forget it, kid, just as she has. Water! Why, she's drinking
nectar of the gods. Just you do as I tell ye."
Frances was puzzled, but she obeyed, even though she could not
understand his meaning. She understood better when she slid back
the panel at the expiration of the allotted time and caught a
glimpse of Carmencita Megales in the arms of Juan Valdez.
CHAPTER 17. HIDDEN VALLEY
Across the desert into the hills, where the sun was setting in a
great splash of crimson in the saddle between two distant peaks,
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