| 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: his scientific experiments."
She used the last words on a chance that she might have
hit upon the true reason for the contemplated isolation
from civilization. They had served their purpose too
in deceiving von Horn who was now half convinced that
Professor Maxon must have divulged more of their plans
to his daughter than he had led the medical man to
believe. Perceiving her advantage from the expression
on the young man's face, Virginia followed it up in an
endeavor to elicit the details.
The result of her effort was the knowledge that on the
The Monster Men |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: "What, did women write in the Emperor's time?" asked Madame Popinot-
Chandier.
"What of Madame de Genlis and Madame de Stael?" cried the Public
Prosecutor, piqued on Dinah's account by this remark.
"To be sure!"
"I beg you to go on," said Madame de la Baudraye to Lousteau.
Lousteau went on saying: "Page 218.
218 OLYMPIA
and gave a shriek of despair when
he had vainly sought any trace of a
secret spring. It was impossible to
The Muse of the Department |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: that rising spirit in me which will make my poor faculties labour
to keep pace with it. My ambition will keep my brain at work, I
warrant thee."
"I pray to God it does not drive thee mad," said Blount; "for my
part, if we lose our noble lord, I bid adieu to the court and to
the camp both. I have five hundred foul acres in Norfolk, and
thither will I, and change the court pantoufle for the country
hobnail."
"O base transmutation!" exclaimed his antagonist; "thou hast
already got the true rustic slouch--thy shoulders stoop, as if
thine hands were at the stilts of the plough; and thou hast a
Kenilworth |
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 New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: "You lack confidence in us," he said, "and you are wrong. To all
your questions I make answer in the affirmative. But I am not so
timid, and can speak the Queen's English plainly. We too, like
yourself, have had enough of life, and are determined to die.
Sooner or later, alone or together, we meant to seek out death and
beard him where he lies ready. Since we have met you, and your
case is more pressing, let it be to-night - and at once - and, if
you will, all three together. Such a penniless trio," he cried,
"should go arm in arm into the halls of Pluto, and give each other
some countenance among the shades!"
Geraldine had hit exactly on the manners and intonations that
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