| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: kind old man himself would have made her go to the ball if she
had gone to see him. So often it happens that this one or that
stands condemned by the social laws that govern family relations;
and yet there are peculiar circumstances in the case, differences
of temperament, divergent interests, innumerable complications of
family life that excuse the apparent offence.
Eugene did not wish to see too clearly; he was ready to sacrifice
his conscience to his mistress. Within the last few days his
whole life had undergone a change. Woman had entered into his
world and thrown it into chaos, family claims dwindled away
before her; she had appropriated all his being to her uses.
Father Goriot |
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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: his heavy steps on the stone passage, then the gravel walk, and finally the
slam of the front gate.
"Another baby! Hasn't she finished having them YET?" thought the Child.
"Two babies getting eye teeth--two babies to get up for in the night--two
babies to carry about and wash their little piggy clothes!" She looked
with horror at the one in her arms, who, seeming to understand the
contemptuous loathing of her tired glance, doubled his fists, stiffened his
body, and began violently screaming.
"Ts--ts--ts." She laid him on the settle and went back to her floor-
washing. He never ceased crying for a moment, but she got quite used to it
and kept time with her broom. Oh, how tired she was! Oh, the heavy broom
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