The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "What can be done, John Carter?" he continued. "You are
a resourceful man. Can you not think of some way to save
Helium from this disgrace?"
"If I can come within sword's reach of Sab Than," I answered,
"I can solve the difficulty in so far as Helium is concerned,
but for personal reasons I would prefer that another struck
the blow that frees Dejah Thoris."
Kantos Kan eyed me narrowly before he spoke.
"You love her!" he said. "Does she know it?"
"She knows it, Kantos Kan, and repulses me only because
she is promised to Sab Than."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Gentle Grafter by O. Henry: of the agency. I knew Mrs. Trotter was square and reliable and it was
safe to leave it in her name.
"With that one ad Andy and me put in twelve hours a day answering
letters.
"About one hundred a day was what came in. I never knew there was so
many large hearted but indigent men in the country who were willing to
acquire a charming widow and assume the burden of investing her money.
"Most of them admitted that they ran principally to whiskers and lost
jobs and were misunderstood by the world, but all of 'em were sure
that they were so chock full of affection and manly qualities that the
widow would be making the bargain of her life to get 'em.
|