Today's Stichomancy for Sarah Michelle Gellar

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young:

that held her own still so tightly.

Sister Helen Vincula wiped her eyes.

The lady kept looking away off, but still held Bessie Bell's hand in hers.

Then Sister Helen Vincula said: ``We are going away to-morrow.''

But the lady held fast to Bessie Bell's hand and said: ``Not this little girl.''

``Oh,'' said Sister Helen Vincula, ``but she is in my charge, and so what can I do!''

And the lady said: ``I cannot let her leave me--not ever.''

But Sister Helen Vincula said: ``Oh, madam, you do not know. No

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy:

I to direct you ever so carefully--are infinitely remote.

"Oh, I hope there are risks!" she murmured softly, "I hope there are dangers, too!--I have so much to atone for. But I fear you are mistaken. Chauvelin's eyes are fixed upon you all, he will scarce notice me. Quick, Sir Andrew!--the coach is ready, and there is not a moment to be lost. . . . I MUST get to him! I MUST!" she repeated with almost savage energy, "to warn him that that man is on his track. . . . Can't you see--can't you see, that I MUST get to him. . .even. . .even if it be too late to save him. . .at least. . . to be by his side. . .at the least."

"Faith, Madame, you must command me. Gladly would I or any of

The Scarlet Pimpernel

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Margret Howth: A Story of To-day by Rebecca Harding Davis:

touched by the picture of the far old chivalry, dead long ago. The master's voice grew low and lingering now. It was a labour of love, this. Oh, it is so easy to go back out of the broil of dust and meanness and barter into the clear shadow of that old life where love and bravery stand eternal verities,--never to be bought and sold in that dusty town yonder! To go back? To dream back, rather. To drag out of our own hearts, as the hungry old master did, whatever is truest and highest there, and clothe it with name and deed in the dim days of chivalry. Make a poem of it,--so much easier than to make a life!

Knowles shuffled uneasily, watching the girl keenly, to know how

Margret Howth: A Story of To-day

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 Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson:

In honour of poor Innocence the babe, Who left the gems which Innocence the Queen Lent to the King, and Innocence the King Gave for a prize--and one of those white slips Handed her cup and piped, the pretty one, "Drink, drink, Sir Fool," and thereupon I drank, Spat--pish--the cup was gold, the draught was mud.'

And Tristram, `Was it muddier than thy gibes? Is all the laughter gone dead out of thee?-- Not marking how the knighthood mock thee, fool-- "Fear God: honour the King--his one true knight--