The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: own choice. I beg you, therefore, to grant my request."
"So be it!" said Madame Colleville; "you think yourself very clever,
but if you let that girl twist you round her finger, so much the worse
for you. Come, Thuillier, since we are 'de trop' here."
As soon as the pair were alone together, la Peyrade drew up a chair
for Celeste, and took one himself, saying:--
"You will, I venture to believe, do me the justice to say that until
to-day I have never annoyed you with the expression of my sentiments.
I was aware of the inclinations of your heart, and also of the
warnings of your conscience. I hoped, after a time, to make myself
acceptable as a refuge from those two currents of feeling; but, at the
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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 The House of Dust by Conrad Aiken: Once I loved, and she I loved was darkened.
Again I loved, and love itself was darkened.
Vainly we follow the circle of shadowy days.
The screen at last grows dark, the flutes are silent.
The doors of night are closed. We go our ways.
VII.
The sun goes down in a cold pale flare of light.
The trees grow dark: the shadows lean to the east:
And lights wink out through the windows, one by one.
A clamor of frosty sirens mourns at the night.
Pale slate-grey clouds whirl up from the sunken sun.
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