how, and when my husband died and was interr'd. To forms I've always been
attached indeed, His death I fain would in the journals read.
Mephistopheles
Ay, madam, what two
witnesses declare Is held as valid everywhere; A
gallant friend I have, not far from here, Who will for you before the judge
appear. I'll bring him straight.
Martha
I pray you do!
Mephistopheles
And this young lady, we shall find her too? A noble youth, far travelled, he
Shows to the sex all courtesy.
Margaret
I in his presence needs must blush for shame.
Mephistopheles
Not in the presence of a crowned king!
Martha
The garden, then, behind my house, we'll name, There we'll await you both
this evening.
A Street - An Evening Walk In The Garden
Faust. Mephistopheles
Faust
How is it now? How speeds it? Is't in train?
Mephistopheles
Bravo! I find you all aflame! Gretchen full soon your own you'll name. This
eve, at neighbour Martha's, her you'll meet again; The woman seems
expressly made To drive the pimp and gipsy's trade.
Faust
Good!
Mephistopheles
But from us she something would request.
Faust
A favour claims return as this world goes.
Mephistopheles
We have on oath but duly to
attest, That her dead husband's limbs,
outstretch'd
repose In holy ground at Padua.
Faust
Sage indeed! So I suppose we straight must journey there!
Mephistopheles
Sancta simplicitas! For that no need! Without much knowledge we have but
to swear.
Faust
If you have nothing better to suggest, Against you plan I must at once protest.
Mephistopheles
Oh, holy man!
methinks I have you there! In all your life say, have you ne'er
False
witness borne, until this hour? Have you of God, the world, and all it
doth
contain, Of man, and that which worketh in his heart and brain, Not
definitions given, in words of weight and power, With front unblushing, and a
dauntless breast? Yet, if into the depth of things you go, Touching these
matters, it must be confess'd, As much as of Herr Schwerdtlein's death you
know!
Faust
Thou art and dost remain liar and sophist too.
Mephistopheles
Ay, if one did not take a somewhat deeper view! To -
morrow, in all honour,
thou Poor Gretchen wilt befool, and vow Thy soul's deep love, in lover's
fashion.
Faust
And from my heart.
Mephistopheles
All good and fair! Then deathless
constancy thou'lt swear; Speak of one all
o'ermastering
passion, Will that too issue from the heart?
Faust
Forbear! When
passion sways me, and I seek to frame Fir
utterance for
feeling, deep,
intense, And for my
frenzyfinding no fit name, Sweep round the
ample world with every sense, Grasp at the loftiest words to speak my flame,
And call the glow,
wherewith I burn, Quenchless,
eternal, yea, eterne Is that
of sophistry a
devilish play?
Mephistopheles
Yet am I right!
Faust
Mark this, my friend, And spare my lungs; who would the right
maintain, And
hath a tongue
wherewith his point to gain, Will gain it in the end. But come, of
gossip I am weary quite; Because I've no
resource, thou'rt in the right.
A Garden
Margaret on Faust's arm. Martha with Mephistopheles walking up and down
Margaret
I feel it, you but spare my
ignorance, The gentleman to shame me stoops thus
low. A traveller from complaisance, Still makes the best of things; I know Too
well, my
humble prattle never can Have power to
entertain so wise a man.
Garden Scene: Garden scene with Mephistopheles, Faust, and Margaret.
Lithograph by Eugene Delacroix.]
Faust
One glance, one word from thee doth charm me more, Than the world's
wisdom or the sage's lore.
(He kisses her hand.)
Margaret
Nay! trouble not yourself! A hand so
coarse, So rude as mine, how can you
kiss! What
constant work at home must I not do perforce! My mother too
exacting is.
(They pass on.)
Martha
Thus, sir, unceasing travel is your lot?
Mephistopheles
Traffic and duty urge us! With what pain Are we compelled to leave full many
a spot, Where yet we dare not once remain!
Martha
In youth's wild years, with
vigour crown'd, 'Tis not amiss thus through the
world to sweep; But ah, the evil days come round! And to a
lonely grave as
bachelor to creep, A pleasant thing has no one found.
Mephistopheles
The
prospect fills me with dismay.
Martha
Therefore in time, dear sir,
reflect, I pray.
(They pass on.)
Margaret
Ay, out of sight is out of mind! Politeness easy is to you; Friends everywhere,
and not a few, Wiser than I am, you will find.
Faust
O dearest, trust me, what doth pass for sense Full oft is self -
conceit and
blindness!
Margaret
How?
Faust
Simplicity and holy
innocence, When will ye learn your hallow'd worth to
know! Ah, when will
meekness and
humility, Kind and all - bounteous
nature's loftiest dower
Margaret
Only one little moment think of me! To think of you I shall have many an hour.
Faust
You are perhaps much alone?
Margaret
Yes, small our household is, I own, Yet must I see to it. No maid we keep,
And I must cook, sew, knit, and sweep, Still early on my feet and late; My
mother is in all things, great and small, So accurate! Not that for
thrift there is
such pressing need; Than others we might make more show indeed: My father
left behind a small
estate, A house and garden near the city - wall. But fairly
quiet now my days, I own; As soldier is my brother gone; My little sister's
dead; the babe to rear Occasion'd me some care and fond annoy; But I
would go through all again with joy, The
darling was to me so dear.
Faust
An angel, sweet, if it resembled thee!
Margaret
I reared it up, and it grew fond of me. After my father's death it saw the day;
We gave my mother up for lost, she lay In such a
wretchedplight, and then at
length So very slowly she regain'd her strength. Weak as she was, 'twas vain
for her to try Herself to suckle the poor babe, so I Reared it on milk and
water all alone; And thus the child became as 'twere my own; Within my arms
it stretched itself and grew, And smiling, nestled in my bosom too.
Faust
Doubtless the purest happiness was thine.
Margaret
But many weary hours, in sooth, were also mine. At night its little
cradle stood
Close to my bed; so was I wide awake If it but stirred; One while I was
obliged to give it food, Or to my arms the
darling take; From bed full oft must
rise, whene'er its cry I heard, And, dancing it, must pace the
chamber to and
fro; Stand at the wash - tub early;
forthwith go To market, and then mind the
cooking too To -
morrow like to - day, the whole year through. Ah, sir, thus
living, it must be confess'd One's spirits are not always of the best; Yet it a
relish gives to food and rest. (They pass on.)
Martha
Poor women! we are badly off, I own; A bachelor's conversion's hard,
indeed!
Mephistopheles
Madam, with one like you it rests alone, To tutor me a better course to lead.
Martha
Speak
frankly, sir, none is there you have met? Has your heart ne'er attach'd
itself as yet?
Mephistopheles
One's own fire - side and a good wife are gold And pearls of price, so says
the
proverb old.
Martha
I mean, has
passion never stirred your breast?
Mephistopheles
I've everywhere been well received, I own.
Martha
Yet hath your heart no
earnestpreference known?
Mephistopheles
With ladies one should ne'er
presume to jest.
Martha
Ah! you mistake!
Mephistopheles
I'm sorry I'm so blind But this I know - that you are very kind
(They pass on.)
Faust
Me, little angel, didst thou recognize, When in the garden first I came?
Margaret
Did you not see it? I cast down my eyes.
Faust
Thou dost
forgive my
boldness, dost not blame The liberty I took that day,
When thou from church didst
lately wend thy way?
Margaret
I was confused. So had it never been; No one of me could any evil say. Alas,
thought I, he
doubtless in thy mien, Something unmaidenly or bold hath seen?
It seemed as if it struck him suddenly, Here's just a girl with whom one may
make free! Yet I must own that then I scarcely knew What in your favour
here began at once to plead; Yet I was angry with myself indeed, That I more
angry could not feel with you.
Faust
Sweet love!
Margaret
Just wait awhile!
(She gathers a star - flower and plucks off the leaves one after another.)
Faust
A nosegay may that be?
Margaret
No! It is but a game.
Faust
How?
Margaret
Go, you'll laugh at me!
(She plucks off the leaves and murmurs to herself.)