| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: found only snow on which to bivouac, and these lay down to rise no
more. Insensibly this mass of almost annihilated beings became so
compact, so deaf, so torpid, so happy perhaps, that Marechal Victor,
who had been their heroic defender by holding twenty thousand Russians
under Wittgenstein at bay, was forced to open a passage by main force
through this forest of men in order to cross the Beresina with five
thousand gallant fellows whom he was taking to the emperor. The
unfortunate malingerers allowed themselves to be crushed rather than
stir; they perished in silence, smiling at their extinguished fires,
without a thought of France.
It was not until ten o'clock that night that Marechal Victor reached
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: it meant, and Joseph was very much out of patience, for the trench had been
filled up and the foundation-stones carefully replaced.
"Rudolph ought to have made sure how many there were," he said rather
growlily.
"But, Joseph, this puppy cry comes from another place way over here, it seems
to me," and Tattine ran to a spot on the porch several yards from that under
which the others had been found. "I believe it must have been a cleverer
little puppy than the others, and crawled away by itself to see what the world
was like, and that is why Rudolph missed finding it."
Joseph put his hand to his ear and, listening carefully, concluded that
Tattine was right. "Now I'll tell you what I am going to do," he said; "I can
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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 A Hero of Our Time by M.Y. Lermontov: had broken off, and he would have rolled
down on his back if his seconds had not held
him up.
"Take care!" I cried. "Do not fall pre-
maturely: that is a bad sign. Remember Julius
Caesar!"
CHAPTER XX
AND now we had climbed to the summit of
the projecting cliff. The ledge was covered
with fine sand, as if on purpose for a duel.
All around, like an innumerable herd, crowded
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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 A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: colour, from red to green."
"Yes, the lich wind is travelling this way."
"The lich wind?"
"It's the atmosphere of Lichstorm. It always clings to the
mountains, but when the wind blows from the north it comes as far as
Threal."
"It's a sort of fog, then?"
"A peculiar sort, for they say it excites the sexual passions."
"So we are to have lovemaking," said Maskull, laughing.
"Perhaps you won't find it so joyous," replied Corpang a little
grimly.
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