| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: little flattered by the notion of grafting the Bontems on to the
genealogical tree of the Granvilles--the aforenamed mother agrees to
settle her fortune absolutely on the girl, reserving only a life-
interest. The priesthood, therefore, are set against the marriage; but
I have had the banns published, everything is ready, and in a week you
will be out of the clutches of the mother and her Abbes. You will have
the prettiest girl in Bayeux, a good little soul who will give you no
trouble, because she has sound principles. She has been mortified, as
they say in their jargon, by fasting and prayer--and," he added in a
low voice, "by her mother."
A modest tap at the door silenced the Count, who expected to see the
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: It was always nuts for Tom Sawyer--a mystery was. If you'd
lay out a mystery and a pie before me and him, you wouldn't
have to say take your choice; it was a thing that would
regulate itself. Because in my nature I have always run
to pie, whilst in his nature he has always run to mystery.
People are made different. And it is the best way.
Tom says to the waiter:
"What's the man's name?"
"Phillips."
"Where'd he come aboard?"
"I think he got aboard at Elexandria, up on the Iowa line."
|
