| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: padded, dropsical clouds were born in the blue above our heads. They
blackened, and a smart shower, the first in two months, wet us all, and
ceased. The sun blazed out, and the sky came blue again, like those
rapid, unconvincing weather changes of the drama.
Amazement at what I saw happening in the heavens took me from things on
earth, and I was unaware of the universal fit that now seized upon
Cheyenne until I heard the high cry of Jode at my ear. His usual
punctilious bearing had forsaken him, and he shouted alike to stranger
and acquaintance: "It is no half-inch, sir! Don't you tell me"' And the
crowd would swallow him, but you could mark his vociferous course as he
went proclaiming to the world. "A failure, sir! The fellow's an impostor,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: by its rope. This woman wore on her head a red handkerchief, beneath
which trailed long locks of hair in color and shape like the flax on a
distaff. She wore no fichu. A coarse woollen petticoat in black and
gray stripes, too short by several inches, exposed her legs. She might
have belonged to some tribe of Red-Skins described by Cooper, for her
legs, neck, and arms were the color of brick. No ray of intelligence
enlivened her vacant face. A few whitish hairs served her for
eyebrows; the eyes themselves, of a dull blue, were cold and wan; and
her mouth was so formed as to show the teeth, which were crooked, but
as white as those of a dog.
"Here, my good woman!" called Monsieur de Sucy.
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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 The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: whose family I find, at the beginning of May, on a yucca in the
enclosure. The plant blossomed last year. The branching flower-
stem, some three feet high, still stands erect, though withered.
On the green leaves, shaped like a sword-blade, swarm two newly-
hatched families. The wee beasties are a dull yellow, with a
triangular black patch upon their stern. Later on, three white
crosses, ornamenting the back, will tell me that my find
corresponds with the Cross or Diadem Spider (Epeira diadema,
WALCK.).
When the sun reaches this part of the enclosure, one of the two
groups falls into a great state of flutter. Nimble acrobats that
The Life of the Spider |
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 Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie: girl to roll about on the floor and whine for mercy?"
"You may do--some day!" said the other significantly.
The cold malignity of her manner sent an unpleasant chill down
Tuppence's spine, but she was not going to give in to it.
"Supposing we sit down," she said pleasantly. "Our present
attitude is a little melodramatic. No--not on the bed. Draw a
chair up to the table, that's right. Now I'll sit opposite you
with the revolver in front of me--just in case of accidents.
Splendid. Now, let's talk."
"What about?" said Mrs. Vandemeyer sullenly.
Tuppence eyed her thoughtfully for a minute. She was remembering
Secret Adversary |
