| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Figure in the Carpet by Henry James: before shop-windows we didn't look into. About one thing we were
clear: if he was staying on for fuller communication we should at
least have a letter from him that would help us through the dregs
of delay. We understood his staying on, and yet each of us saw, I
think, that the other hated it. The letter we were clear about
arrived; it was for Gwendolen, and I called on her in time to save
her the trouble of bringing it to me. She didn't read it out, as
was natural enough; but she repeated to me what it chiefly
embodied. This consisted of the remarkable statement that he'd
tell her after they were married exactly what she wanted to know.
"Only THEN, when I'm his wife - not before," she explained. "It's
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Whirligigs by O. Henry: some, entered the room. She wore robes -- robes; not
clothes -- ample and fluent. In her eye could be per-
ceived the lambent flame of genius and soul. In her
hand was a green bag of the capacity of a bushel, and an
umbrella that also seemed to wear a robe, ample and
fluent. She accepted a chair.
"Are you Mr. Phineas C. Gooch, the lawyer?" she
asked, in formal and unconciliatory tones.
"I am," answered Lawyer Gooch, without circum-
locution. He never circumlocuted when dealing with
a woman. Women circumlocute. Time is wasted when
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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 Adam Bede by George Eliot: Irwine's handwriting, Arthur saw at once; and below the address
was written, "To be delivered as soon as he arrives." Nothing
could have been less surprising to him than a letter from Mr.
Irwine at that moment: of course, there was something he wished
Arthur to know earlier than it was possible for them to see each
other. At such a time as that it was quite natural that Irwine
should have something pressing to say. Arthur broke the seal with
an agreeable anticipation of soon seeing the writer.
"I send this letter to meet you on your arrival, Arthur, because I
may then be at Stoniton, whither I am called by the most painful
duty it has ever been given me to perform, and it is right that
Adam Bede |
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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: cheeks, with two long lines, betraying much suffering, a mouth with a
sardonic smile, and a small chin, narrow, and too short; crow's feet
on his temples; deep-set eyes, moving in their sockets like burning
balls; but, in spite of all these indications of a violently
passionate nature, his manner was calm, deeply resigned, and his voice
of penetrating sweetness, which surprised me in Court by its easy
flow; a true orator's voice, now clear and appealing, sometimes
insinuating, but a voice of thunder when needful, and lending itself
to sarcasm to become incisive.
"Monsieur Albert Savaron is of middle height, neither stout nor thin.
And his hands are those of a prelate.
Albert Savarus |
