| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Whirligigs by O. Henry: "Why not?" demanded Octavia, with argumentative
heat.
"Under contract. Terms of sale respect all unexpired
contracts. Mine runs until 12 P. m., December thirty-first.
You might get up at midnight on that date and fire me.
if you try it sooner I'll be in a position to bring legal
proceedings."
Octavia seemed to be considering the prospects of
litigation.
"But," continued Teddy cheerfully, "I've been think-
ing of resigning anyway."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy: that Marguerite hardly dared to cross the threshold.
Sir Andrew, however, had stepped unhesitatingly forward.
"English travellers, citoyen!" he said boldly, and speaking in French.
The individual who had come to the door in response to Sir
Andrew's knock, and who, presumably, was the owner of this squalid
abode, was an elderly, heavily built peasant, dressed in a dirty blue
blouse, heavy sabots, from which wisps of straw protruded all round,
shabby blue trousers, and the inevitable red cap with the tricolour
cockade, that proclaimed his momentary political views. He carried a
short wooden pipe, from which the odour of rank tobacco emanated. He
looked with some suspicion and a great deal of contempt at the two
 The Scarlet Pimpernel |