| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Roads of Destiny by O. Henry: think I have a future; I will not always be a shepherd. For the
present I will cherish you with all my heart and make your life less
sad. Will you trust your fate to me, mademoiselle?"
"Ah, you would sacrifice yourself from pity!"
"From love. The time is almost up, mademoiselle."
"You will regret it, and despise me."
"I will live only to make you happy, and myself worthy of you."
Her fine small hand crept into his from beneath her cloak.
"I will trust you," she breathed, "with my life. And--and love--may
not be so far off as you think. Tell him. Once away from the power of
his eyes I may forget."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: "Well, Daisy's all dressed," said Mrs. Miller with that accent of
the dispassionate, if not of the philosophic, historian with which she
always recorded the current incidents of her daughter's career.
"She got dressed on purpose before dinner. But she's got a friend
of hers there; that gentleman--the Italian--that she wanted to bring.
They've got going at the piano; it seems as if they couldn't leave off.
Mr. Giovanelli sings splendidly. But I guess they'll come before very long,"
concluded Mrs. Miller hopefully.
"I'm sorry she should come in that way," said Mrs. Walker.
"Well, I told her that there was no use in her getting dressed before
dinner if she was going to wait three hours," responded Daisy's mamma.
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