| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: staircase.
"Good heavens! that man, without his glasses, must look funny enough
in a dressing-gown!" thought Celestine, "but the harpoon is in his
back and he'll tow me where I want to go; I am sure now of that
invitation. He has played his part in my comedy."
When, at five o'clock in the afternoon, Rabourdin came home to dress
for dinner, his wife presided at his toilet and presently laid before
him the fatal memorandum which, like the slipper in the Arabian
Nights, the luckless man was fated to meet at every turn.
"Who gave you that?" he asked, thunderstruck.
"Monsieur des Lupeaulx."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Edition of The Ambassadors by Henry James: "I only found you out. It was you who found me in. It was all in
the day's work for them, at all events, that they should come. And
they've greatly enjoyed it," Strether declared.
"Well, I've tried to make them," said Chad.
His companion did himself presently the same justice. "So have I.
I tried even this very morning--while Mrs. Pocock was with me. She
enjoys for instance, almost as much as anything else, not being, as
I've said, afraid of me; and I think I gave her help in that."
Chad took a deeper interest. "Was she very very nasty?"
Strether debated. "Well, she was the most important thing--she was
definite. She was--at last--crystalline. And I felt no remorse.
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