| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs: straight, thin lips at the thought of the fate which it
entailed for the creator of the hideous monsters of the
court of mystery.
As he turned away from the bungalow his eye fell upon
the trembling lascar who had accompanied him to the
edge of the verandah. He must be rid of the fellow in
some way--no eye must see him perpetrate the deed he
had in mind. A solution quickly occurred to him.
"Hasten to the harbor," he said to the man in a
low voice, "and tell those on board the ship that
I shall join them presently. Have all in readiness to sail.
The Monster Men |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: was most seriously alarmed by her illness which trifling as it
may appear to you, a certain instinctive sensibility whispered
me, would in the End be fatal to her.
Alas! my fears were but too fully justified; she grew gradually
worse--and I daily became more alarmed for her. At length she
was obliged to confine herself solely to the Bed allotted us by
our worthy Landlady--. Her disorder turned to a galloping
Consumption and in a few days carried her off. Amidst all my
Lamentations for her (and violent you may suppose they were) I
yet received some consolation in the reflection of my having paid
every attention to her, that could be offered, in her illness. I
Love and Friendship |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: with frost, and making the delicate weblike coat of ice on the river sparkle
as if it had been sprinkled with powdered diamonds. William Martin, the groom,
and his attendants, met at an appointed time to celebrate an old time-honored
custom which always took place before the party started for the house of the
bride. This performance was called "the race for the bottle."
A number of young men, selected by the groom, were asked to take part in this
race, which was to be run over as rough and dangerous a track as could be
found. The worse the road, the more ditches, bogs, trees, stumps, brush, in
fact, the more obstacles of every kind, the better, as all these afforded
opportunity for daring and expert horsemanship. The English fox race, now
famous on three continents, while it involves risk and is sometimes dangerous,
Betty Zane |
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 Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: Anyhow, we have now one veiled lady, who, with the ghostly
intruder of Friday night, makes two assets that I hardly know
what to do with."
"It is mystifying," I admitted, "although I can think of one
possible explanation. The path from the Greenwood Club to the
village enters the road near the lodge gate. A woman who wished
to reach the Country Club, unperceived, might choose such a
method. There are plenty of women there."
I think this gave him something to ponder, for in a short time he
said good night and left. But I myself was far from satisfied.
I was determined, however, on one thing. If my suspicions--for I
The Circular Staircase |
