| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: kind of stupor; to me, watching her, it seemed that she was fathoming
the depths of the abyss into which she had fallen. There was remorse
still left in that woman's soul. Perhaps a hand held out in human
charity might save her. I would try.
" 'Are the diamonds your personal property, madame?' I asked in a
clear voice.
" 'Yes, monsieur,' she said, looking at me with proud eyes.
" 'Make out the deed of purchase with power of redemption,
chatterbox,' said Gobseck to me, resigning his chair at the bureau in
my favor.
" 'Madame is without doubt a married woman?' I tried again.
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: but - but if only I had what he said to his Cabinet after Genet rode
off I believe I could change Europe - the world, maybe."
'"I'm sorry," I says. "Maybe you'll do that without my help."
'He looked at me hard. "Either you have unusual observation
for one so young, or you choose to be insolent," he says.
'"It was intended for a compliment," I says. "But no odds.
We're off in a few days for our summer trip, and I've come to
make my good-byes."
'"I go on my travels too," he says. "If ever we meet again you
may be sure I will do my best to repay what I owe you."
'"Without malice, Abbe, I hope," I says.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: prayer.
The Boer-woman looked at the Hottentot, and the Hottentot looked at the
Boer-woman.
There was one thing on earth for which Tant Sannie had a profound
reverence, which exercised a subduing influence over her, which made her
for the time a better woman--that thing was new, shining black cloth. It
made her think of the predikant; it made her think of the elders who sat in
the top pew of the church on Sundays, with the hair so nicely oiled, so
holy and respectable, with their little swallow-tailed coats; it made her
think of heaven, where everything was so holy and respectable, and nobody
wore tancord, and the littlest angel had a black-tailed coat. She wished
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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 Buttered Side Down by Edna Ferber: just come to me on the quiet and asked for the loan of a hundred or
so why----"
"What's the joke, Jo?" said Ted again, slowly.
"This ain't my notion of a joke," came the terse answer.
"We're three hundred short."
The last vestige of Ted Terrill's old-time radiance seemed to
flicker and die, leaving him ashen and old.
"Short?" he repeated. Then, "My God!" in a strangely
colorless voice--"My God!" He looked down at his fingers
impersonally, as though they belonged to some one else. Then his
hand clutched Jo Haley's arm with the grip of fear. "Jo! Jo!
Buttered Side Down |
