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Post by Etaoin Shrdlu on Feb 2, 2024 12:25:53 GMT
Mercury almost fits the hints. But it doesn't feel right, and isn't a disyllable.
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kizolk
Indecisive 
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 12:42:56 GMT
And so on, with clapping of joyful hands till all the group had begged for invitations but Tom and Amy. Then Tom turned coolly away, still talking, and took Amy with him. Becky's lips trembled and the tears came to her eyes; she hid these signs with a forced gayety and went on chattering, but the life had gone out of the pic-nic, now, and out of everything else; she got away as soon as she could and hid herself and had what her sex call "a good cry." Then she sat moody, with wounded pride till the bell rang. She roused up, now, with a vindictive cast in her eye, and gave her plaited tails a shake and said she knew what she'd do. At recess Tom continued his flirtation with Amy with jubilant self-satisfaction. And he kept drifting about to find Becky and lacerate her with the performance. At last he spied her, but there was a sudden falling of his mercury. She was sitting cosily on a little bench behind the school-house looking at a picture book with Alfred Temple—and so absorbed were they, and their heads so close together over the book that they did not seem to be conscious of anything in the world besides. Jealousy ran red hot through Tom's veins. He began to hate himself for throwing away the chance Becky had offered for a reconciliation. He called himself a fool, and all the hard names he could think of. He wanted to cry with vexation. Amy chatted happily along, as they walked, for her heart was singing, but Tom's tongue had lost its function. He did not hear what Amy was saying, and whenever she paused expectantly he could only stammer an awkward assent, which was as often misplaced as otherwise. He kept drifting to the rear of the school-house, again and again, to sear his eye-balls with the hateful spectacle there. He could not help it. And it maddened him to see, as he thought he saw, that Becky Thatcher never once suspected that he was even in the land of the living. But she did see, nevertheless; and she knew she was winning her fight, too, and was glad to see him suffer as she had suffered. Mercury almost fits the hints. But it doesn't feel right, and isn't a disyllable. Wiktionary gives it as a possible pronunciation in AE and it ringed a bell so I thought it did warrant saying "2 or 3". |
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 12:47:57 GMT
I interpreted it as "excitement, joy" here, hence my original hinting route of "'mood' or 'motivation' are on the right general track". But then I thought it wasn't that helpful and I could be misinterpreting Twain's intent, so I focused on the temperature thing.
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 12:48:17 GMT
I also wondered if it had something to do with some of the meanings of "mercurial".
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Post by Etaoin Shrdlu on Feb 2, 2024 13:20:35 GMT
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Post by Pacifica on Feb 2, 2024 16:05:55 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the _______ of the _______,
Why doth thy magic _______ me with _______?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of _______ flame,
A _______ comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a _______, without a _______,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou _______! whom I _______ and _______--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee _______)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of _______! with me?
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 17:46:50 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the center of the earth,
Why doth thy magic call me with _______?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of crimson/ruddy/ruby/purple/dying/smoking flame,
A frantic/lawless comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a goal, without a course,
A bright calamity on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou fiend! whom I despise/detest/adore and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of Man! with me?
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Post by Pacifica on Feb 2, 2024 17:50:07 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the _______ of the _______,
Why doth thy magic _______ me with _______?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of _______ flame,
A _______ comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a _______, without a course,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou _______! whom I _______ and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of _______! with me?
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 17:52:27 GMT
It's always a bit irritating to only find the rhymes. Less so than not finding them, but still.
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 18:02:35 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the _______ of the sea/land/space/sun/stars,
Why doth thy magic wake/compel me with _______?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of icy flame,
A frozen comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a mind/track, without a course,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou _______! whom I abhor/contempt/condemn/chastise and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of Earth/God! with me?
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Post by Pacifica on Feb 2, 2024 18:09:10 GMT
Not really close, but there's something interesting about it. That entire phrase is very close to another blank. Close, especially to one meaning of the word "earth". |
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 18:31:04 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the _______ of the darkness/light/Gods,
Why doth thy magic fill me with fear?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of _______ flame,
A trackless comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a _______, without a course,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou _______! whom I mock/hate/loathe/revere/fear and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of Dust/Dirt! with me?
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Post by Pacifica on Feb 2, 2024 19:22:57 GMT
Close to both that blank and the previous one. Close. Right track. Close. Something appears elsewhere. |
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kizolk
Indecisive
Posts: 5,575
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Post by kizolk on Feb 2, 2024 19:50:44 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the dark of the night,
Why doth thy magic flood/hit me with light?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of _______ flame,
A roadless/routeless (can't think of a better way to say that right now) comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a _______, without a course,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou tyrant! whom I love/praise and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of Mud! with me?
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Post by Pacifica on Feb 2, 2024 19:57:40 GMT
SIXTH SPIRIT
My dwelling is the _______ of the night,
Why doth thy magic _______ me with light?
SEVENTH SPIRIT
The star which rules thy destiny,
Was ruled, ere earth began, by me:
It was a world as fresh and fair
As e'er revolved round sun in air;
Its course was free and regular,
Space bosom'd not a lovelier star.
The hour arrived -- and it became
A wandering mass of _______ flame,
A _______ comet, -- and a curse,
The menace of the universe;
Still rolling on with innate force,
Without a _______, without a course,
A bright _______ on high,
The monster of the upper sky!
And thou! beneath its influence born--
Thou _______! whom I _______ and scorn--
Forced by a power (which is not thine,
And lent thee but to make thee mine)
For this brief moment to descend,
Where these weak spirits round thee bend
And parley with a thing like thee--
What wouldst thou, Child of _______! with me?
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