| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: concerning your interests has the merit of clearness; but my own
interests in the matter are by no means so clear--"
"A word or two will explain everything, madame. M. le President is M.
Pons' first cousin once removed, and his sole heir. M. Pons is very
ill; he is about to make his will, if it is not already made, in favor
of a German, a friend of his named Schmucke; and he has more than
seven hundred thousand francs to leave. I hope to have an accurate
valuation made in two or three days--"
"If this is so," said the Presidente, "I made a great mistake in
quarreling with him and throwing the blame----" she thought aloud,
amazed by the possibility of such a sum.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: boards that rattled, into a smaller room full of armed quiet
rebels facing an open window.
Madeline scanned the faces of these men, expecting to see Don
Carlos. But he was not present. A soldier addressed her in
Spanish too swiftly uttered, too voluble for her to translate.
But, like Senor Montes, he was gracious and, despite his ragged
garb and uncouth appearance, he bore the unmistakable stamp of
authority.
Montes directed Madeline's attention to a man by the window. A
loose scarf of vivid red hung from his hand.
"Senora, they were waiting for the sun to set when we arrived,"
The Light of Western Stars |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: often turned over in his mind many means of making an even score
with the Sheriff. At last he began to fret at his confinement;
so one day he took up his stout cudgel and set forth to seek adventure,
strolling blithely along until he came to the edge of Sherwood. There, as he
rambled along the sunlit road, he met a lusty young butcher driving
a fine mare and riding in a stout new cart, all hung about with meat.
Merrily whistled the Butcher as he jogged along, for he was going
to the market, and the day was fresh and sweet, making his heart
blithe within him.
"Good morrow to thee, jolly fellow," quoth Robin, "thou seemest
happy this merry morn."
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
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 The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the creatures crossed the room to where Tara of Helium stood. She
noted that their leather was more highly ornamented than that
worn by any of the others she had previously seen, and so she
guessed that these must be higher in authority than the others.
Nor was she mistaken. The demeanor of her captor indicated it. He
addressed them as one who holds intercourse with superiors.
Several of those who examined her felt her flesh, pinching it
gently between thumb and forefinger, a familiarity that the girl
resented. She struck down their hands. "Do not touch me!" she
cried, imperiously, for was she not a princess of Helium? The
expression on those terrible faces did not change. She could not
The Chessmen of Mars |
