| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: you have twenty-five thousand francs in your desk? He says you offered
them to him and he thinks it only natural not to leave them in your
hands."
"Thank you for taking the step, my good friend," replied Theodose. "I
have been expecting this attack."
"Between ourselves," replied Desroches, "you have made an utter fool
of him, and he is furious. The scamp will stop at nothing to get his
revenge upon you--for he'll lose everything if he forces you to fling
your barrister's gown, as they say, to the nettles and go to prison."
"I?" said Theodose. "I'm going to pay him. But even so, there will
still be five notes of mine in his hands, for five thousand francs
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: to the old bookseller, then counting out the money for
the book from his lean purse. He smiled as he added,
"There seems something almost wrong about taking advantage
of the clergyman's discount for a life of George Sand."
"I don't know," answered the other, pleasantly. "Guess she
wasn't so much different from the rest of 'em--except
that she didn't mind appearances. We know about her.
We don't know about the others."
"I must hurry," said Theron, turning on his heel.
The haste with which he strode out of the store,
crossed the street, and made his way toward Thurston's,
The Damnation of Theron Ware |
