| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: to face with my start in life. We walked in a body a few steps on a
greasy pavement between her side and the towering wall of a
warehouse and I hit my shins cruelly against the end of the gangway.
The constable hailed her quietly in a bass undertone 'Ferndale
there!' A feeble and dismal sound, something in the nature of a
buzzing groan, answered from behind the bulwarks.
"I distinguished vaguely an irregular round knob, of wood, perhaps,
resting on the rail. It did not move in the least; but as another
broken-down buzz like a still fainter echo of the first dismal sound
proceeded from it I concluded it must be the head of the shipkeeper.
The stalwart constable jeered in a mock-official manner.
Chance |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: vingt-et-un table.
"Let me present you," she said, "to the beautiful Marquise d'Anglade,
one of my nearest friends."
And she took Oscar to the pretty Fanny Beaupre, who had just made
herself a reputation at the Porte-Saint-Martin, in a melodrama
entitled "La Famille d'Anglade."
"My dear," said Florentine, "allow me to present to you a charming
youth, whom you can take as a partner in the game."
"Ah! that will be delightful," replied the actress, smiling, as she
looked at Oscar. "I am losing. Shall we go shares, monsieur?"
"Madame la marquise, I am at your orders," said Oscar, sitting down
|
