Always to scold, and cavil, and com- The full fresh cheeks of youth are food plain? for me, Seems nothing ever right to you on And if a corpse knocks, I am not at earth? Mephistopheles. No, Lord! I find all there, as ever, bad at best. Even I am sorry for man's days of sorrow; home. For I am like a cat-I like to play I could myself almost give up the His spirit from its pleasure find'st power, well! it is per Draw thou springs; as thou Seize him and lead him on thy downward path; And stand ashamed when failure teaches thee That a good man, even in his darkest longings, Is well aware of the right way. Well and good. I am not in much doubt about my bet, And if I lose, then 'tis your turn to Yet all things far, and all things near, Like my old paramour, the famous Mephistopheles. From time to time And I take care to keep on good terms Civil enough is the same God Almighty, SCENE II.-MAY-DAY NIGHT SCENE. The Hartz Mountain, a desolate Country. FAUST, MEPHistopheles, Mephistopheles. Would you not like a broomstick? As for me I wish I had a good stout ram to ride; For we are still far from the appointed place. Faust. This knotted staff is help enough for me, Whilst I feel fresh upon my legs. What good Would favour us with your bright con pany? Why should you blaze away there t no purpose? Pray be so good as light us up this way. To overcome the lightness of my nature; zag. Mephistopheles. Ha, ha! your worship thinks you have to deal With men. Gostraight on, in the Devil's name, Or I shall puff your flickering life out. tain Is all enchanted, and if Jack-a-lantern Is there in making short a pleasant way? Mephistopheles. Nothing of such an But see, how swift advance and shift influence do I feel. My body is all wintry, and I wish The flowers upon our path were frost and snow. But see how melancholy rises now, Trees behind trees, row by row,— Their frowning foreheads as we go. The blank unwelcome round of the red Through the mossy sods and stones, moon, And gives so bad a light, that every step I'll call an Ignis-fatuus to our aid: Stream and streamlet hurry down A rushing throng! A sound of song Beneath the vault of Heaven is blown! Sweet notes of love, the speaking tones Of this bright day, sent down to say That Paradise on Earth is known, Halloo, my friend! may I request that Resound around, beneath, above. you All we hope and all we love Finds a voice in this blithe strain, Which wakens hill and wood and rill, And vibrates far o'er field and vale, And which Echo, like the tale Of old times, repeats again. To-whoo! to-whoo! near, nearer now Curls, to seize or to affright; And, animated, strong, and many, The many-coloured mice, that thread moss; And, in legions intertangled, The fire-flies flit, and swarm, throng, and Does not Sir Mammon gloriously illuminate His palace for this festival-it is Till all the mountain depths are spangled. A pleasure which you had not known Tell me, shall we go or stay? Shall we onward? Come along! Mephistopheles. Now vigorously seize This pinnacle of isolated crag. One may observe with wonder from this point, before. How Mammon glows among the moun- Their breath will sweep thee into dust, The owls fly out in strange The owl was awake in the white mort affright; The columns of the evergreen palaces Are split and shattered; The roots creak, and stretch, and groan; And ruinously overthrown, The trunks are crushed and shattered By the fierce blast's unconquerable stress. Over each other crack and crash they all The airs hiss and howl It is not the voice of the fountain, Strange accents are ringing The witches are singing! The stubble is yellow, the corn is green, Now to the Brocken the witches go; The mighty multitude here may be seen Gathering, wizard and witch, below. Sir Urian is sitting aloft in the air; Hey over stock ! and hey over stone ! 'Twixt witches and incubi, what shall be done? Tell it who dare! tell it who dare! A Voice. Upon a sow-swine, whose farrows were Come with us, come with us, from I have been tripping this many an Something attracts me in those bushes. hour: Are the others already so far before? No quiet at home, and no peace abroad! And less methinks is found by the road. Chorus of Witches. Come This way we shall slip down there in a minute. Faust. Spirit of Contradiction! Well, lead on Come onward, away! aroint thee, 'Twere a wise feat indeed to wander aroint! A witch to be strong must anointanoint Then every trough will be boat enough; With a rag for a sail we can sweep through the sky, Who flies not to-night, when means he to fly? Both Choruses. We cling to the skirt, and we strike on the ground; Witch - legions thicken around and around; Wizard-swarms cover the heath all over. [They descend. Mephistopheles. What thronging, dashing, raging, rustling; What whispering, babbling, hissing, bustling; What glimmering, spurting, stinking, burning, As Heaven and Earth were overturning. |