gentlemen appear With devils here united.
Worldling
By pious people, it is true, No medium is rejected; Conventicles, and not a
few, On Blocksberg are erected.
Dancer
Another chorus now succeeds, Far off the drums are beating. Be still! The
bitterns 'mong the reeds Their one note are repeating.
Dancing Master
Each twirls about and never stops, And as he can he fareth. The crooked
leaps, the clumsy hops, Nor for appearance careth.
Fiddler
To take each other's life, I trow, Would cordially delight them! As Orpheus'
lyre the beasts, so now The bagpipe doth unite them.
Dogmatist
My views, in spite of doubt and sneer, I hold with stout persistence, Inferring
from the devils here, The evil one's existence.
Idealist
My every sense rules Phantasy With sway quite too potential; Sure I'm
demented if the I Alone is the essential.
Realist
This entity's a dreadful bore, And cannot choose but vex me; The ground
beneath me ne'er before Thus totter'd to perplex me.
Supernaturalist
Well pleased assembled here I view Of spirits this profusion; From devils,
touching angels too, I gather some conclusion.
Sceptic
The ignis fatuus they track out, And think they're near the treasure. Devil
alliterates with doubt, Here I abide with pleasure.
Leader of the Band
Frog and cricket in the mosses, Confound your gasconading! Nose of fly and
gnat's proboscis; Most tuneful serenading!
The Knowing Ones
Sans - souci, so this host we greet, Their jovial humour showing; There's now
no walking on our feet, So on our heads we're going.
The Awkward Ones
In seasons past we snatch'd, 'tis true, Some tit - bits by our cunning; Our
shoes, alas, are now danced through, On our bare soles we're running.
Will - o' - the - Wisps
From marshy bogs we sprang to light, Yet here behold us dancing; The gayest
gallants of the night, In glitt'ring rows advancing.
Shooting Star
With rapid motion from on high, I shot in starry splendour; Now prostrate on
the grass I lie; Who aid will kindly render?
The Massive Ones
Room! wheel round! They're coming lo! Down sink the bending grasses.
Though spirits, yet their limbs, we know, Are huge substantial masses.
Puck
Don't stamp so heavily, I pray; Like elephants you're treading! And 'mong the
elves be Puck to - day, The stoutest at the wedding!
Ariel
If nature boon, or subtle sprite, Endow your soul with pinions; Then follow to
yon rosy height, Through ether's calm dominions!
Orchestra (pianissimo)
Drifting cloud and misty wreathes Are fill'd with light elysian; O'er reed and
leaf the zephyr breathes So fades the fairy vision!
A Gloomy Day. A Plain
Faust and Mephistopheles
Faust
In misery! despairing! long wandering pitifully on the face of the earth and
now imprisoned! This gentle hapless creature, immured in the dungeon as a
malefactor and reserved for horrid tortures! That it should come to this! To
this! - Perfidious, worthless spirit, and this thou hast concealed from me!
Stand! ay, stand! roll in malicious rage thy fiendish eyes! Stand and brave me
with thine insupportable presence! Imprisoned! In hopeless misery! Delivered
over to the power of evil spirits and the judgment of unpitying humanity! And
me, the while, thou wert lulling with tasteless dissipations, concealing from me
her growing anguish, and leaving her to perish without help!
Mephistopheles
She is not the first.
Faust
Hound! Execrable monster! - Back with him, oh thou infinite spirit! back with
the reptile into his dog's shape, in which it was his wont to scamper before me
at eventide, to roll before the feet of the harmless wanderer, and to fasten on
his shoulders when he fell! Change him again into his favourite shape, that he
may crouch on his belly before me in the dust, whilst I spurn him with my foot,
the reprobate! - Not the first! - Woe! Woe! By no human soul is it
conceivable, that more than one human creature has ever sunk into a depth of
wretchedness like this, or that the first in her writhing death agony should not
have atoned in the sight of all - pardoning Heaven for the guilt of all the rest!
The misery of this one pierces me to the very marrow, and harrows up my
soul; thou art grinning calmly over the doom of thousands!
Mephistopheles
Now we are once again at our wit's end, just where the reason of you mortals
snaps! Why dost thou seek our fellowship, if thou canst not go through with
it? Wilt fly, and art not proof against dizziness? Did we force ourselves on
thee, or thou on us?
Faust
Cease thus to gnash thy ravenous fangs at me! I loathe thee! - Great and
glorious spirit, thou who didst vouchsafe to reveal thyself unto me, thou who
dost know my very heart and soul, why hast thou linked me with this base
associate, who feeds on mischief and revels in destruction?
Mephistopheles
Hast done?
Faust
Save her! - or woe to thee! The direst of curses on thee for thousands of
years!
Mephistopheles
I cannot loose the bands of the avenger, nor withdraw his bolts. - Save her! -
Who was it plunged her into perdition? I or thou?
(Faust looks wildly around.)
Mephistopheles
Would'st grasp the thunder? Well for you, poor mortals, that 'tis not yours to
wield! To smite to atoms the being however innocent, who obstructs his path,
such is the tyrant's fashion of relieving himself in difficulties!
Faust
Convey me thither! She shall be free!
Mephistopheles
And the danger to which thou dost expose thyself? Know, the guilt of blood,
shed by thy hand, lies yet upon the town. Over the place where fell the
murdered one, avenging spirits hover and watch for the returning murderer.
Faust
This too from thee? The death and downfall of a world be on thee, monster!
Conduct me thither, I say, and set her free!
Mephistopheles
I will conduct thee. And what I can do, - hear! Have I all power in heaven
and upon earth! I'll cloud the senses of the warder, - do thou possess thyself
of the keys and lead her forth with human hand! I will keep watch! The magic
steeds are waiting, I bear thee off. Thus much is in my power.
Faust
Up and away!
Night. Open Country
Faust. Mephistopheles
(Rushing along on black horses)
Faust
What weave they yonder round the Ravenstone?
Mephistopheles
I know not what they shape and brew.
Faust
They're soaring, swooping, bending, stooping.
Mephistopheles
A witche's pack.
Faust
They charm, they strew.
Mephistopheles
On! On!
Dungeon
Faust
(with a bunch of keys and a lamp before a small iron door)
A fear unwonted o'er my spirit falls; Man's concentrated woe o'erwhelms me
here! She dwells immur'd within these dripping walls; Her only trespass a
delusion dear! Thou lingerest at the fatal door, Thou dread'st to see her face
once more? On! While thou dalliest, draws her death - hour near.
(He seizes the lock. 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 (opening the lock)
Ah! she forebodes not that her lover's near, The clanking chains, the rustling
straw, to hear.
(He enters.)
Dungeon Scene: Dungeon scene with Mephistopheles, Faust, and Margaret.
Lithograph by Eugene Delacroix.]
Margaret
(hiding her face in the bed of straw)
Woe! woe! they come! on bitter 'tis to die!
Faust (softly)
Hush! hush! be still! I come to set thee free!
Margaret
(throwing herself at his feet)
If thou art human, feel my misery!
Faust
Thou wilt awake the jailor with thy cry!
(He grasps the chains to unlock them.)
Margaret (on her knees)
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? (She stands up.)
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 strew'd. 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!
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 live - long 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, With
hideous noise, The devils roar!
Faust (aloud)
Gretchen! Gretchen!
Margaret (listening)
That was my lov'd one's voice!
(She springs up, the chains fall off.)
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.
Faust
'Tis I!
Margaret
'Tis thou! O 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 sav'd!
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
stay'd.
Faust
(endeavouring to lead her away)
Come! come away!
Margaret
Oh do not haste!
I love to linger where thou stayest. (caressing him.)
Faust
Ah haste! For if thou still delayest, 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! Kiss me!
Or I'll kiss thee! (She embraces him.) Woe! woe! Thy lips are cold, Are
dumb! Thy love where hast thou left? Who hath me of thy love bereft?
(She turns away from him.)
Faust
Come! Follow me, my dearest love, be bold! I'll cherish thee with ardour
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! O come!
Margaret
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?
Faust
Come! come! already night begins to wane.
Margaret
I sent my mother to her grave, I drown'd 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!
Faust
Oh, dearest, let the past forgotten be! Death is in every word.
Margaret
No, thou must linger here in sorrow! The graves I will describe to thee, And
thou to them must see To - morrow: The best place give to my mother, Close
at her side my brother, Me at some distance lay But not too far away! And
the little one place on my right breast, Nobody else will near me lie! To nestle
beside thee so lovingly, That was a rapture, gracious and sweet! A rapture I
never again shall prove; Methinks I would force myself on thee, love, And
thou dost spurn me, and back retreat Yet 'tis thyself, thy fond kind looks I
see.
Faust
If thou dost feel 'tis I, then come with me!
Margaret
What, there? without?
Faust
Yes, forth in the free air.
Margaret
Ay, if the grave's without, - If death lurk there! Hence to the everlasting
resting - place, And not one step beyond! - Thou'rt leaving me? Oh Henry!
would that I could go with thee!
Faust
Thou canst! But will it! Open stands the door.
Margaret
I dare not go! I've naught to hope for more. What boots it to escape? They
lurk for me! 'Tis wretched to beg, as I must do, And with an evil conscience
thereto! 'Tis wretched, in foreign lands to stray; And me they will catch, do
what I may!
Faust
With thee will I abide.
Margaret
Quick! Quick! Save thy poor child! Keep to the path The brook along, Over
