Should she return and enter now,

How wouldst thou rue thy guilty flame!
Proud vaunter, thou wouldst hide thy brow,
And at her feet sink down with shame.

Mephistopheles —

Faust

Quick! quick! Below I see her there!
Away! I will return no more!

Mephistopheles

Here is a casket, with a store
Of jewels which I got elsewhere.
Just lay it in the press; make haste!
I swear to you, 'twill turn her brain;
Therein some trifles I have placed,
Wherewith another to obtain.

But child is child, and play is play.
-shall I?

Faust- I know not

Mephistopheles

Do you ask?
Perchance you would retain the treasure?
If such your wish, why then, I say,

Henceforth absolve me from my task,
Nor longer waste your hours of leisure.

I trust you're not by avarice led!

I rub my hands, I scratch my head.

[Places the casket in the press and fastens the lock.
Now quick! away!

That soon the sweet young creature may
The wish and purpose of your heart obey;
Yet stand you there

As you would to the lecture-room repair,
As if before you stood,

Arrayed in flesh and blood,

Physics and metaphysics weird and gray!
Away!

Margaret [with a lamp] —

[Exeunt.

[Opens the window.

Here 'tis so close, so sultry now,
Yet out of doors 'tis not so warm.
I feel so strange, I know not how
I wish my mother would come home.
Through me there runs a shuddering-
I'm but a foolish, timid thing!

VOL.

[While undressing, she begins to sing.

There was a king in Thule,

True even to the grave;
To whom his dying mistress
A golden beaker gave.

5

At every feast he drained it,
Naught was to him so dear,
And often as he drained it,
Gushed from his eyes the tear.

When death came, unrepining,
His cities o'er he told;
All to his heir resigning,
Except his cup of gold.

With many a knightly vassal
At a royal feast sat he,
In yon proud hall ancestral,
In his castle o'er the sea.

Up stood the jovial monarch,

And quaffed his last life's glow,
Then hurled the hallowed goblet
Into the flood below.

He saw it splashing, drinking,
And plunging in the sea;

His eyes meanwhile were sinking,

And never again drank he.

[She opens the press to put away her clothes and perceives the

casket.

How comes this lovely casket here? The press

I locked, of that I'm confident.

'Tis
very wonderful! What's in it I can't guess:
Perhaps 'twas brought by some one in distress,
And left in pledge for loan my mother lent.
Here by a ribbon hangs a little key-

I have a mind to open it and see!

Heavens! only look! what have we here! In all my days ne'er saw I such a sight! Jewels! which any noble dame might wear, For some high pageant richly dight! This chain how would it look on me? These splendid gems, whose may they be? [Puts them on and steps before the glass.

Were but the earrings only mine!

Thus, one has quite another air.

What boots it to be young and fair?

It doubtless may be very fine;

But then, alas, none cares for you,
And praise sounds half like pity too.
Gold all doth lure,

Gold doth secure

All things. Alas, we poor!

FAUST IN MARGARET'S DUNGEON.

[FAUST, at the door, hears singing within.

My mother, the harlot,

She took me and slew!

My father, the scoundrel,
Hath eaten me too!
My sweet little sister

Hath all my bones laid
Where soft breezes whisper

All in the cool shade!

Then became I a wood-bird, and sang on the spray,

Fly away, little bird! fly away! fly away!

Faust [unlocking the door] —

Ah! she forebodes not that her lover's near,

The clanking chains, the rustling straw, to hear. [Enters. Margaret [hiding her face in the bed of straw]·

Woe! woe! they come! Oh, bitter 'tis to die!

Faust [softly]

Hush! hush! be still! I come to set thee free.

Margaret [throwing herself at his feet] —

Faust

If thou art human, feel my misery!

Thou wilt awake the jailor with thy cry!

[Grasps the chains to unlock them.

Margaret - Who, headsman, unto thee this power

O'er me could give?

Thou com'st for me at midnight hour.

Be merciful, and let me live!

Is morrow's dawn not time enough?
I'm still so young, so young -
And must so early die!

Fair was I too, and that was my undoing.
My love is now afar, he then was nigh;

Torn lies the garland, the fair blossoms strewed.
Nay, seize me not with hand so rude!

Spare me!

What harm have I e'er done to thee?
Oh, let me not in vain implore!

I ne'er have seen thee in my life before!

[Rises.

Faust

Can I endure this bitter agony?
Margaret I now am at thy mercy quite.
Let me my babe but suckle once again!
I fondled it the livelong night;
They took it from me but to give me pain,
And now they say that I my child have slain.
Gladness I ne'er again shall know.

Then they sing songs about me -'tis wicked of the throng-
An ancient ballad endeth so:

Who bade them thus apply the song?

Faust [throwing himself on the ground]

A lover at thy feet bends low,

To loose the bonds of wretchedness and woe.
Margaret [throws herself beside him]-

Oh, let us kneel and move the saints by prayer!
Look! look! yon stairs below,

Under the threshold there,

Hell's flames are all aglow!
Beneath the floor,

Faust [loudly]

With hideous noise,

The devils roar !
Gretchen!

Margaret [listening]

Faust

Gretchen!

That was my loved one's voice!

Where is he? I heard him calling me.

Free am I There's none shall hinder me.

To his neck will I fly,

On his bosom will lie!

"Gretchen," he called! - On yon threshold he stood;
Amidst all the howling of hell's fiery flood,

The scoff and the scorn of its devilish crew,

The tones of his voice, sweet and loving, I knew.

"Tis I!

Margaret 'Tis thou! Oh, say so once again!

[Embracing him "Tis he! 'Tis he! Where's now the torturing pain? Where are the fetters? where the dungeon's gloom? 'Tis thou! To save me thou art come!

And I am saved!

Already now the street I see

Where the first time I caught a glimpse of thee.
There, too, the pleasant garden shade

Where I and Martha for thy coming stayed.

Faust [endeavoring to lead her away] –
Come! come away!

Margaret

Oh, do not haste!
I love to linger where thou stay'st.

Faust- Ah, haste! For if thou still delay'st,

[Caressing him.

Our lingering we shall both deplore.
Margaret How, dearest? canst thou kiss no more?
So short a time away from me, and yet,
To kiss thou couldst so soon forget!

Why on thy neck so anxious do I feel -

When formerly a perfect heaven of bliss

From thy dear looks and words would o'er me steal?
As thou wouldst stifle me thou then didst kiss!

Faust

Kiss me!

Or I'll kiss thee!

Woe! woe! thy lips are cold,
Are dumb!

Thy love where hast thou left?
Who hath me of thy love bereft ?

Come! Follow me, my dearest love, be bold!
I'll cherish thee with ardor thousand-fold;
I but entreat thee now to follow me!

Margaret [turning towards him]

And art thou he? and art thou really he? Faust

"Tis I! Oh come!

Margaret

Faust

Thou wilt strike off my chain,
And thou wilt take me to thine arms again.

How comes it that thou dost not shrink from me?
And dost thou know, love, whom thou wouldst set free?

Come! come! already night begins to wane. Margaret I sent my mother to her grave,

I drowned my child beneath the wave.
Was it not given to thee and me thee too?
'Tis thou thyself! I scarce believe it yet.
Give me thy hand! It is no dream! 'Tis true!

Thine own dear hand! But how is this? "Tis wet!

Quick, wipe it off! Meseems that yet

There's blood thereon.

Ah, God! what hast thou done?

Put up thy sword,

I beg of thee!