How long is it her wont to roam?
The Monkeys
While we can warm our paws she'll stay.
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
What think you of the
charming creatures?
Faust
I
loathe alike their form and features!
Mephistopheles
Nay, such
discourse, be it confessed, Is just the thing that pleases me the
best.
(To the Monkeys)
Tell me, ye whelps,
accursed crew! What stir ye in the broth about?
Monkeys
Coarse beggar's gruel here we stew.
Mephistopheles
Of customers you'll have a rout.
The He - Monkey (approaching and fawning on Mephistopheles)
Quick! quick! throw the dice, Make me rich in a trice, Oh give me the prize!
Alas, for myself! Had I plenty of pelf, I then should be wise.
Mephistopheles
How blest the ape would think himself, if he Could only put into the lottery!
(In the
meantime the young Monkeys have been playing with a large globe,
which they roll forwards)
The He - Monkey
The world behold; Unceasingly roll'd, It riseth and falleth ever; It ringeth like
glass! How brittle, alas! 'Tis hollow, and resteth never. How bright the
sphere,
Still brighter here! Now living am I! Dear son, beware! Nor
venture there!
Thou too must die! It is of clay; 'Twill
crumble away; There fragments lie.
Mephistopheles
Of what use is the sieve?
The He - Monkey (taking it down)
(He runs to the She - Monkey, and makes her look through it.)
Look through the sieve! Dost know him the thief, And dar'st thou not call him
so?
Mephistopheles (approaching the fire)
And then this pot?
The Monkeys
The half - witted sot! He knows not the pot! He know not the kettle!
Mephistopheles
Unmannerly beast! Be civil at least!
The He - Monkey
Take the whisk and sit down in the settle!
(He makes Mephistopheles sit down.)
Faust
(who all this time has been
standing before a looking - glass, now
approaching, and now retiring from it)
What do I see? what form, whose charms transcend The
loveliness of earth,
is mirror'd here! O Love, to waft me to her
sphere, To me the swiftest of thy
pinions lend! Alas! If I remain not rooted to this place, If to approach more
near I'm
fondly lur'd, Her image fades, in veiling mist obscur'd! Model of
beauty both in form and face! Is't possible? Hath woman charms so rare? In
this recumbent form, supremely fair, The
essence must I see of heavenly
grace? Can aught so
exquisite on earth be found?
Mephistopheles
The six days' labour of a god, my friend, Who doth himself cry bravo, at the
end, By something clever
doubtless should be crown'd. For this time gaze
your fill, and when you please Just such a prize for you I can provide; How
blest is he to whom kind fate decrees, To take her to his home, a lovely bride!
(Faust continues to gaze into the mirror. Mephistopheles stretching himself on
the settle and playing with the whisk, continues to speak.)
Here sit I, like a king upon his
throne; My sceptre this; - the crown I want
alone.
The Monkeys
(who have
hitherto been making all sorts of strange gestures, bring
Mephistopheles a crown, with loud cries)
Oh, be so good, With sweat and with blood The crown to lime!
(They handle the crown
awkwardly and break it in two pieces, with which
they skip about.)
'Twas fate's decree! We speak and see! We hear and rhyme.
Faust (before the mirror)
Woe's me! well - nigh distraught I feel!
Mephistopheles
(pointing to the beasts)
And even my own head almost begins to reel.
The Monkeys
If good luck attend, If fitly things blend, Our jargon with thought And with
reason is fraught!
Faust (as above)
A flame is kindled in my breast! Let us begone! nor
linger here!
Mephistopheles
(in the same position)
It now at least must be confessed, That poets sometimes are sincere.
(The caldron which the She - Monkey has neglected begins to boil over; a
great flame arises, which streams up the chimney. The Witch comes down the
chimney with
horrible cries.)
The Witch Returns
The Witch
Ough! ough! ough! ough! Accursed brute!
accursed sow! The caldron dost
neglect, for shame! Accursed brute to
scorch the dame!
(Perceiving Faust and Mephistopheles)
Whom have we here? Who's sneaking here? Whence are ye come? With
what desire? The
plague of fire Your bones consume!
(She dips the skimming - ladle into the caldron and throws flames at Faust,
Mephistopheles, and the Monkeys. The Monkeys whimper.)
Mephistopheles
(twirling the whisk which he holds in his hand, and
striking among the glasses
and pots)
Dash! Smash! There lies the glass! There lies the slime! 'Tis but a jest; I but
keep time, Thou hellish pest, To thine own chime!
(While the Witch steps back in rage and astonishment.)
Dost know me! Skeleton! Vile scarecrow, thou! Thy lord and master dost
thou know? What holds me, that I deal not now Thee and thine apes a
stunning blow? No more respect to my red vest dost pay? Does my cock's
feather no
allegiance claim? Have I my
visage masked to - day? Must I be
forced myself to name?
The Witch
Master,
forgive this rude salute! But I
perceive no cloven foot. And your two
ravens, where are they?
Mephistopheles
This once I must admit your plea; For truly I must own that we Each other
have not seen for many a day. The
culture, too, that shapes the world, at last
Hath e'en the devil in its
sphere embraced; The northern
phantom from the
scene hath pass'd, Tail, talons, horns, are
nowhere to be traced! As for the
foot, with which I can't
dispense, 'Twould
injure me in company, and hence,
Like many a
youthfulcavalier, False
calves I now have worn for many a year.
The Witch (dancing)
I am beside myself with joy, To see once more the
gallant Satan here!
Mephistopheles
Woman, no more that name employ!
The Witch
But why! what
mischief hath it done?
Mephistopheles
To fable - books it now doth appertain; But people from the change have
nothing won. Rid of the evil one, the evil ones remain. Lord Baron call thou
me, so is the matter good; Of other
cavaliers the mien I wear. Dost make no
question of my gentle blood; See here, this is the scutcheon that I bear! (He
makes an unseemly gesture.)
The Witch
(laughing immoderately)
Ha! Ha! Just like yourself! You are, I ween, The same mad wag that you
have ever been!
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
My friend, learn this to understand, I pray! To deal with witches this is still the
way.
The Witch
Now tell me, gentlemen, what you desire?
Mephistopheles
Of your known juice a
goblet we require. But for the very oldest let me ask;
Double its strength with years doth grow.
The Witch
Most willingly! And here I have a flask, From which I've sipp'd myself ere
now; What's more, it doth no longer stink; To you a glass I
joyfully will give.
(Aside.)
If unprepar'd, however, this man drink, He hath not, as you know, an hour to
live.
Mephistopheles
He's my good friend, with whom 'twill
prosper well; I
grudge him not the
choicest of thy store. Now draw thy
circle, speak thy spell, And straight a
bumper for him pour!
Ha! Ha! Just like yourself! You are, I ween, The same mad wag that you
have ever been!
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
My friend, learn this to understand, I pray! To deal with witches this is still the
way.
The Witch
Now tell me, gentlemen, what you desire?
Mephistopheles
Of your known juice a
goblet we require. But for the very oldest let me ask;
Double its strength with years doth grow.
The Witch
Most willingly! And here I have a flask, From which I've sipp'd myself ere
now; What's more, it doth no longer stink; To you a glass I
joyfully will give.
(Aside.)
If unprepar'd, however, this man drink, He hath not, as you know, an hour to
live.
Mephistopheles
He's my good friend, with whom 'twill
prosper well; I
grudge him not the
choicest of thy store. Now draw thy
circle, speak thy spell, And straight a
bumper for him pour!
The lofty power Of wisdom's dower, From all the world conceal'd! Who
thinketh not, To him I wot, Unsought it is reveal'd.
Faust
What
nonsense doth the hag propound? My brain it doth well - nigh
confound. A hundred thousand fools or more, Methinks I hear in
chorus roar.
Mephistopheles
Incomparable Sibyl cease, I pray! Hand us the
liquor without more delay.
And to the very brim the
goblet crown! My friend he is, and need not be
afraid; Besides, he is a man of many a grade, Who hath drunk deep already.
(The Witch, with many ceremonies, pours the
liquor into a cup; as Faust lifts it
to his mouth, a light flame arises.)
Mephistopheles
Gulp it down! No hesitation! It will prove A
cordial, and your heart inspire!
What! with the devil hand and glove, And yet
shrink back afraid of fire? (The
Witch dissolves the
circle. Faust steps out.)
Mephistopheles
Now forth at once! thou dar'st not rest.
Witch
And much, sir, may the
liquor profit you!
Mephistopheles (to the Witch)
And if to pleasure thee I aught can do, Pray on Walpurgis mention thy
request.
Witch
Here is a song, sung o'er, sometimes you'll see, That 'twill a
singular effect
produce.
Mephistopheles (to Faust)
Come, quick, and let thyself be led by me; Thou must perspire, in order that
the juice Thy frame may
penetrate through every part. Then noble
idleness I
thee will teach to prize, And soon with
ecstasy thou'lt recognise How Cupid
stirs and gambols in thy heart.
Faust
Let me but gaze one moment in the glass! Too lovely was that
female form!