mine, The while I pluck'd these blossoms, At dawn to deck thy shrine! When
early in my
chamber Shone bright the rising morn, I sat there on my pallet, My
heart with
anguish torn. Help! from
disgrace and death deliver me! Ah! rich in
sorrow, thou, Stoop thy
maternal brow, And mark with pitying eye my
misery!
Night. Street Before Margaret's Door
Valentine (a soldier, Margaret's brother)
When seated 'mong the jovial crowd, Where merry comrades boasting loud
Each named with pride his favourite lass, And in her honour drain'd his glass;
Upon my elbows I would lean, With easy quiet view the scene, Nor give my
tongue the rein until Each swaggering blade had talked his fill. Then smiling I
my beard would stroke, The while, with brimming glass, I spoke; "Each to his
taste! - but to my mind, Where in the country will you find, A maid, as my
dear Gretchen fair, Who with my sister can compare?" Cling! Clang! so rang
the jovial sound! Shouts of
assent went circling round; Pride of her sex is she!
- cried some; Then were the noisy boasters dumb.
And now! - I could tear out my hair, Or dash my brains out in
despair! Me
every scurvy knave may twit, With stinging jest and taunting sneer! Like
skulking
debtor I must sit, And sweat each
casual word to hear! And though I
smash'd them one and all, Yet them I could not liars call.
Who comes this way? who's sneaking here? If I mistake not, two draw near.
If he be one, have at him; - well I wot Alive he shall not leave this spot!
Faust. Mephistopheles
Faust
How from yon sacristy, athwart the night, Its beams the ever - burning taper
throws, While ever waning, fades the glimmering light, As
gathering darkness
doth around it close! So night - like gloom doth in my bosom reign.
Mephistopheles
I'm like a tom - cat in a thievish vein, That up fire - ladders tall and steep, And
round the walls doth slyly creep; Virtuous
withal, I feel, with, I
confess, A
touch of thievish joy and wantonness. Thus through my limbs already burns
The
glorious Walpurgis night! After to -
morrow it returns, Then why one
wakes, one knows aright!
Faust
Meanwhile, the treasure I see glimmering there, Will it
ascend into the open
air?
Mephistopheles
Ere long thou wilt proceed with pleasure, To raise the
casket with its treasure;
I took a peep,
therein are stored, Of lion - dollars a rich hoard.
Faust
And not a trinket? not a ring? Wherewith my lovely girl to deck?
Mephistopheles
I saw among them some such thing, A string of pearls to grace her neck.
Faust
'Tis well! I'm always loath to go, Without some gift my love to show.
Mephistopheles
Some pleasures gratis to enjoy, Should surely cause you no annoy. While
bright with stars the heavens appear, I'll sing a
masterpiece of art: A moral
song shall charm her ear, More surely to
beguile her heart.
(Sings to the
guitar.)
Kathrina say, Why lingering stay At dawn of day Before your lover's door?
Maiden,
beware, Nor enter there, Lest forth you fare, A
maiden never more.
Maiden take heed! Reck well my rede! Is't done, the deed? Good night, you
poor, poor thing! The spoiler's lies, His arts
despise, Nor yield your prize,
Without the marriage ring!
Valentine (steps forward)
Whom are you luring here? I'll give it you! Accursed rat - catchers, your
strains I'll end! First, to the devil the
guitar I'll send! Then to the devil with the
singer too!
Mephistopheles
The poor
guitar! 'tis done for now.
Valentine
Your skull shall follow next, I trow!
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
Doctor, stand fast! your strength collect! Be
prompt, and do as I direct. Out
with your whisk, keep close, I pray, I'll parry! do you
thrust away!
Valentine
Then parry that!
Mephistopheles
Why not?
Valentine
That too!
Mephistopheles
With ease!
Valentine
The devil fights for you! Why how is this? my hand's already lamed!
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
Thrust home!
Valentine (falls)
Alas!
Mephistopheles
There! Now the lubber's tamed! But quick, away! We must at once take
wing; A cry of murder strikes upon the ear; With the police I know my course
to steer, But with the blood - ban 'tis another thing.
Martha (at the window)
Without! without!
Margaret (at the window)
Quick, bring a light!
Martha (as above)
They rail and scuffle,
scream and fight!
People
One lieth here already dead!
Martha (coming out)
Where are the murderers? are they fled?
Margaret (coming out)
Who lieth here?
People
Thy mother's son.
Margaret
Almighty God! I am undone!
Valentine
I'm dying - 'tis a soon - told tale, And sooner done the deed. Why, women,
do ye howl and wail? To my last words give heed! (All gather round him.) My
Gretchen see! still young art thou, Art not
discreet enough, I trow, Thou dost
thy matters ill; Let this in confidence be said: Since thou the path of shame
dost tread, Tread it with right good will!
Margaret
My brother! God! what can this mean?
Valentine
Abstain, Nor dare God's holy name profane! What's done, alas, is done and
past! Matters will take their course at last; By stealth thou dost begin with
one, Others will follow him anon; And when a dozen thee have known,
Thou'lt common be to all the town. When infamy is newly born, In secret she
is brought to light, And the
mysterious veil of night O'er head and ears is
drawn; The
loathsome birth men fain would slay; But soon, full grown, she
waxes bold, And though not fairer to behold, With
brazen front insults the
day: The more abhorrent to the sight, The more she courts the day's pure
light.
The time already I
discern, When thee all honest folk will spurn, And shun thy
hated form to meet, As when a
corpse infects the street. Thy heart will sink in
blank
despair, When they shall look thee in the face! A golden chain no more
thou'lt wear! Nor near the altar take in church thy place! In fair lace collar
simply dight Thou'lt dance no more with spirits light! In darksome corners
thou wilt bide, Where beggars vile and cripples hide, And e'en though God
thy crime
forgive, On earth, a thing
accursed, thou'lt live!
Martha
Your
parting soul to God commend! Your dying
breath in
slander will you
spend?
Valentine
Could I but reach thy wither'd frame, Thou
wretched beldame, void of
shame! Full
measure I might hope to win Of
pardon then for every sin.
Margaret
Brother! what agonizing pain!
Valentine
I tell thee, from vain tears abstain! 'Twas thy dishonour pierced my heart, Thy
fall the fatal death - stab gave. Through the death - sleep I now depart To
God, a soldier true and brave. (dies.)
In The Cathedral
Service, Organ, and Anthem
Margaret
amongst a number of people
Evil - Spirit behind Margaret
Evil - Spirit
How different, Gretchen, was it once with thee, When thou, still full of
innocence, Here to the altar camest, And from the small and well - conn'd
book Didst lisp thy prayer, Half
childish sport, Half God in thy young heart!
Gretchen! What thoughts are thine? What deed of shame Lurks in thy sinful
heart? Is thy prayer utter'd for thy mother's soul, Who into long, long torment
slept through thee? Whose blood is on thy
threshold? - And stirs there not
already 'neath thy heart Another quick'ning pulse, that even now Tortures
itself and thee With its foreboding presence?
Margaret
Woe! Woe! Oh could I free me from the thoughts That
hither, t
hither, crowd
upon my brain, Against my will!
Chorus
Dies irae, dies illa, Solvet saeclum in favilla.
(The organ sounds.)
Evil - Spirit
Grim
horror seizes thee! The
trumpet sounds! The graves are shaken! And
thy heart From ashy rest For torturing flames A new created, Trembles into
life!
Margaret
Would I were hence! It is as if the organ Choked my
breath, As if the choir
Melted my inmost heart!
Chorus
Judex ergo cum sedebit, Quidquid latet adparebit, Nil inultum remanebit.
Margaret
I feel oppressed! The pillars of the wall Imprison me! The vaulted roof
Weighs down upon me! - air!
Evil - Spirit
Wouldst hide thee? sin and shame Remain not hidden! Air! light! Woe's thee!
Chorus
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus! Cum vix justus sit
securus.
Evil - Spirit
The glorified their faces turn Away from thee! Shudder the pure to reach
Their hands to thee! Woe!
Chorus
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus
Margaret
Neighbour! your smelling bottle!
(She swoons away.)
Walpurgis - Night
Act four, scene one, "Walpurgis Night" theme from the opera "Faust" 1859,
by Charles Gounod. Over the
heather, marshes, meadows, Light as a feather,
Eerie shadows, Airily flashing lower, higher,
flaming and flashing, glowing fire,
they float, they hover, below, above, In fields of
clover, In wood and grove,
Flames burning
brightly, Rays blazing red, Souls drifting
lightly, Souls of the
dead.
The Hartz Mountains. District of Schierke and Elend
Faust and Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles
A broomstick dost thou not at least desire? The roughest he - goat fain would
I bestride, By this road from our goal we're still far wide.
Faust
While fresh upon my legs, so long I
naught require, Except this knotty staff.
Beside, What boots it to abridge a pleasant way? Along the
labyrinth of these
vales to creep, Then scale these rocks,
whence, in
eternal spray, Adown the
cliffs the
silvery fountains leap: Such is the joy that seasons paths like these!
Spring weaves already in the birchen trees; E'en the late pine - grove feels her
quickening powers; Should she not work within these limbs of ours?
Mephistopheles