Page 16 of Faust: First Part


  If I had even half a day

  I’d not need the Devil to get my way.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Well, now you’re almost talking French.

  But with respect—take my advice:

  Why bustle so to bed the wench?

  Your pleasure with her will be twice

  As keen after long preparation

  And complicated titillation, 2650

  To make her willing and soft to the touch;

  In Italian tales you’ll have read as much.

  FAUST. I’ve appetite enough without All that.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. But sir, be in no doubt—

  With this fair maid, I tell you plain,

  It’s bound to be a long campaign;

  We’ll not take her by storm. We must

  Use guile to satisfy your lust.

  FAUST. Take me to where my darling lies!

  Get me some token, some sweet prize, 2660

  A garter, a kerchief from her breast—

  Something to set my heart at rest!

  MEPHISTOPHELES. To demonstrate my willingness

  To serve your amorous distress,

  We’ll lose not a moment in delay;

  I’ll take you to her room this very day.

  FAUST. And shall I see her? Have her?

  MEPHISTOPHELES. No!

  She’ll be visiting a friend next door.

  But you’ll be quite alone, and so

  In her private ambience you can glow 2670

  And gloat on pleasures still in store.

  FAUST. Let’s go now!

  MEPHISTOPHELES. We must wait our chance.

  FAUST. I’ll take her a present; get one at once! [Exit.]

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Presents already? Very charming; he’ll succeed.

  I know some interesting places*

  Where buried treasure’s left its traces;

  I’ll reconnoitre… Yes, indeed!

  11 · EVENING [UR

  [A small well-kept room.]

  MARGARETA [plaiting and binding up her hair].

  I’d like to find out, I must say,

  Who that gentleman was today.

  A handsome man, I do admit, 2680

  And a nobleman by the looks of it.

  I could tell by something in his eyes.

  And he wouldn’t have had the cheek otherwise.

  [Exit. MEPHISTOPHELES and FAUST enter.]

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Come in, keep quiet! Come, don’t delay!

  FAUST [after a pause]. Leave me alone, please go away.

  MEPHISTOPHELES [taking a look round the room].

  Very neat and tidy, I must say. [Exit.]

  FAUST [gazing up and about him].

  Welcome, sweet twilight, shining dim all through

  This sanctuary! Now let love’s sweet pain

  That lives on hope’s refreshing dew

  Seize and consume my heart again! 2690

  How this whole place breathes deep content

  And order and tranquillity!

  What riches in this poverty,

  What happiness in this imprisonment!

  [He sinks into the leather armchair by the bed.]

  Oh let me rest here: long ago, among

  Their joys and sorrows, others sat on you,

  Embraced and welcomed! Ah, how often too

  Round this, their grandsire’s throne, the children clung!

  My love herself, at Christmas time, a young

  Rosy-cheeked child, glad at some gift, knelt here 2700

  Perhaps, and kissed his wrinkled hand so dear!

  What order, what completeness I am made

  To sense in these surroundings! It is yours,

  Dear girl, your native spirit that ensures

  Maternal daily care, the table neatly laid,

  The crisp white sand strewn on the floors!

  Oh godlike hand, by whose dear skill and love

  This little hut matches the heavens above!

  And here!

  [He draws aside a curtain from the bed.]

  What fierce joy seizes me! I could

  Stand gazing here for ever. Nature, you 2710

  Worked this sweet wonder, here the inborn angel grew

  Through gentle dreams to womanhood.

  Here the child lay, her tender heart

  Full of warm life, here the pure love

  Of God’s creative forces

  wove His likeness by their sacred art!

  And I! What purpose brings me? What

  Profound emotion stirs me! What did I

  Come here to do? Why do I sigh?

  Poor wretch! Am I now Faust or not? 2720

  Is there some magic hovering round me here?

  I was resolved, my lust brooked no delay—

  And now in dreams of love I wilt and melt away!

  Are we mere playthings of the atmosphere?

  If she came in this instant, ah, my sweet,

  How she would punish me! How small

  The great Don Juan* would feel, how he would fall

  In tears of languor at her feet!

  MEPHISTOPHELES [entering]. Quick, she’s down there, she’ll be here any minute.

  FAUST. Take me away! I’ll never come again! 2730

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Here’s quite a heavy box with nice things in it;

  I got it—somewhere else. Now then,

  Into her cupboard with it, quick, before we’re seen.

  I tell you, when she finds that stuff

  She’ll go out of her mind; I’ve put enough

  Jewellery in there to seduce a queen.

  A child’s a child, of course, and play’s just play.

  FAUST. I don’t know if I should—

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Now what’s the fuss about?

  You’d like to keep it for yourself, no doubt?

  Let me advise you then, Sir Lecher-Lust, 2740

  Stop wasting the fine time of day,

  And spare me further tasks! I trust

  You’re not a miser too? I scratch my pate

  And bite my nails and calculate—

  [He puts the jewel-case in the cupboard and locks it up again.]

  Quick, we must go!—

  How I’m to please your sweetheart for you

  And make her want you and adore you;

  And now you hesitate

  As if this were your lecture-room

  Where in grey professorial gloom 2750

  Physics and metaphysics wait!

  We must go! [They leave.]

  MARGARETA [coming in with a lamp].

  It’s so hot and sultry in here somehow,

  [She opens the window.]

  And yet it’s quite cool outside just now.

  I’ve got a feeling something’s wrong—

  I hope my mother won’t be long.

  It’s a sort of scare coming over me—

  What a silly baby I must be!

  [She begins singing as she undresses.]

  There once was a king of Thulè,*

  Of the far north land of old: 2760

  His dying lady he loved so truly

  She gave him a cup of gold.

  There was no thing so dear to the king,

  And every time he wept

  As he drained that cup at each banqueting,

  So truly his faith he kept.

  And at last, they say, on his dying day

  His kingdom was willed and told,

  And his son and heir got all his share—

  But the king kept the cup of gold. 2770

  They feasted long with wine and song,

  And there with his knights sat he,

  In the ancestral hall, in his castle tall

  On the cliffs high over the sea.

  The old man still drank as his life’s flame sank,

  Then above the waves he stood,

  And the sacred cup he raised it up,

  Threw it down to the raging flood.

  He watched it fall to the distant shore

  A
nd sink in the waters deep; 2780

  And never a drop that king drank more,

  For he’d closed his eyes to sleep.

  [She opens the cupboard to put her clothes in, and sees the jewel-case.]

  However did this pretty box get here?

  I left the cupboard locked; how very queer!

  Whatever can be in it? Perhaps my mother lent

  Some money on it, and it’s meant

  As a security. Oh dear!

  It’s got a ribbon with a little key—

  I think I’ll open it, just to see!

  What’s this? Oh God in heaven, just look! 2790

  I’ve never seen such things before!

  These jewels would be what a princess wore

  At the highest feast in the feast-day book!

  I wonder how that necklace would suit me?

  Whose can these wonderful things be?

  [She puts on some of the jewellery and looks at herself in the glass.]

  If even the earrings were only mine!

  My, what a difference it makes!

  We young girls have to learn, it takes

  More than just beauty; that’s all very fine,

  But everyone just says ‘she’s pretty’, 2800

  And they seem to say it out of pity.

  Gold’s all they care

  About, gold’s wanted everywhere;

  For us poor folk there’s none to spare.

  12. A PROMENADE [UR

  [FAUST walking up and down deep in thought. Enter MEPHISTOPHELES.]

  MEPHISTOPHELES By the pangs of despised love! By the fires of hell!

  I wish I knew something worse, to curse it as well!

  FAUST. Whatever’s the matter? You do look odd.

  What a sour face for a fine day!

  MEPHISTOPHELES. May the devil take me, I would say,

  If I weren’t the Devil myself, by God. 2810

  FAUST. Are you right in the head? Excuse me if I smile;

  These rages aren’t your usual style.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Just think: those jewels for Gretchen that I got,

  A priest has been and swiped the lot!—

  Her mother took one look, and hey!

  She had the horrors straight away.

  That woman’s got a good nose all right,

  Snuffling her prayer-book day and night,

  With any commodity she can tell

  Profane from sacred by the smell; 2820

  And as for those jewels, she knew soon enough

  There was something unholy about that stuff.

  ‘My child’, she exclaimed, ‘ill-gotten wealth

  Poisons one’s spiritual health.

  To God’s blessed Mother it must be given,

  And she will reward us with manna from heaven!’

  How Meg’s face fell, poor little minx!

  It’s a gift-horse after all, she thinks,

  And whoever so kindly brought it—how can

  There be anything godless about such a man? 2830

  Ma sends for the priest, and he, by glory!

  Has no sooner heard their little story

  And studied the spoils with great delight,

  Than he says: ‘Dear ladies, you are quite right!

  Who resists the tempter shall gain a crown.

  The Church can digest all manner of meat,

  It’s never been known to over-eat

  Although it has gulped whole empires down;

  Holy Church’s stomach alone can take

  Ill-gotten goods without stomach-ache!’ 2840

  FAUST. It’s common; many a king and Jew

  Has a well-filled belly of that kind too.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. So he sweeps every ring and chain and brooch,

  As if they were peanuts, into his pouch;

  Takes it no less for granted, indeed,

  Than if it were all just chickenfeed—

  Promises them celestial reward

  And leaves them thanking the blessed Lord.

  FAUST. And Gretchen?

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Sitting there all of a dither,

  Doesn’t know what to do or why or whether. 2850

  Can’t get the jewels out of her mind—

  Or the gentleman who had been so kind.

  FAUST. I can’t bear my darling to be sad.

  Get another lot for her! The ones she had

  Weren’t all that remarkable anyway.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Oh indeed, for my lord it’s mere child’s play!

  FAUST. Do as I tell you!—And one thing more:

  Get to know that friend of hers next door!

  Do something, devil, stir your feet!

  And get some more jewels for my sweet! 2860

  MEPHISTOPHELES. With pleasure, sir, whatever you say.

  [Exit FAUST.]

  He’s just like all the lovesick fools I know;

  To please their darlings they would blow

  The sun and moon and stars out at one go. [Exit.]

  13 · THE NEIGHBOUR’S HOUSE [UR

  MARTHA [alone]. My husband, may God pardon him!

  He didn’t treat me right. For shame!

  Just went off into the world one day,

  Left me a grass widow, as they say.

  Yet I’ve never done him any wrong;

  I loved him truly all along. [She weeps.] 2870

  He may even be dead. Oh, my poor heart bleeds!

  —A death certificate’s what one needs *

  [Enter MARGARETA.]

  MARGARETA. Martha!

  MARTHA. Gretchen dear! What a face!

  MARGARETA. Martha, I feel quite faint! There’s been

  This second box—I found it in

  My cupboard there—an ebony case

  Of the grandest jewels you ever saw;

  Much richer than the one before!

  MARTHA. Now this time you mustn’t tell your mother,

  Or the priest’ll get it, just like the other. 2880

  MARGARETA. Oh, look at this! Just look at this!

  MARTHA [trying out some of the jewels on her].

  Aren’t you a lucky little miss!

  MARGARETA. But I can’t wear them in the street, or go

  To church and be seen in them, you know.*

  MARTHA. Just come whenever you can to me,

  And put on your jewels secretly—

  Walk about in front of the looking-glass here,

  And we’ll enjoy them together, my dear.

  Then when there’s a feast-day or some occasion,

  Let people see one little thing, then another. 2890

  A necklace at first, a pearl earring; your mother

  May not notice, or we’ll make up some explanation.

  MARGARETA. But all this jewellery—who can have [FRA

  brought it?

  I think there’s something funny about it.

  [There is a knock at the door.] [UR

  Oh God, perhaps that’s my mother!

  MARTHA [looking through the peep-hole]. No!

  It’s some gentleman I don’t know—

  Come in!

  [Enter MEPHISTOPHELES.]

  MEPHISTOPHELES. If I may make so bold!

  Forgive me, ladies; I’m looking for

  Frau Martha Schwertlein, who lives here, I’m told.

  [He steps back respectfully on seeing MARGARETA.]

  MARTHA. That’s me; how can I oblige you, sir? 2900

  MEPHISTOPHELES [aside to her]. Now that I know you, that will do;

  You have a fine lady visiting you.

  Excuse my taking the liberty;

  I’ll call again later when you’re free.

  MARTHA [aloud]. Do you hear that, child! What a rigmarole!

  He takes you for a lady, bless your soul!

  MARGARETA. Oh sir, you’re much too kind to me;

  I’m a poor young woman—this jewellery

  I’m trying on, it isn’t mine.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Why, it’s not just the jewels
that are 2910

  fine;

  You have a manner, a look in your eyes.

  Then I may stay? What a pleasant surprise.

  MARTHA. Now, I’m sure your business is interesting—

  MEPHISTOPHELES. I hope you’ll pardon the news I bring;

  I’m sorry to grieve you at our first meeting.

  Your husband is dead, and sends his greeting.

  MARTHA. What, dead? My true love! Alas the day!

  My husband’s dead! I shall pass away!

  MARGARETA. Oh, don’t despair, Frau Martha dear!

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Well, it’s a sad tale you shall hear. 2920

  MARGARETA. I hope I shall never love; I know

  It would kill me with grief to lose someone so.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Joy and grief need each other, they can’t be parted.

  MARTHA. Good sir, pray tell me how he died.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. In Padua, by St Anthony’s side,

  There they interred your late departed,

  In a spot well suited, by God’s grace,

  To be his last cool resting-place.

  MARTHA. And have you brought nothing else for me?

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Ah, yes; he requests you solemnly 2930

  To have three hundred masses sung for his repose.

  For the rest, my hands are empty, I fear.

  MARTHA. What! no old medal, not a souvenir

  Or trinket any poor apprentice will lay by,

  Stuffed in his satchel, and would rather die

  In penury than sell or lose?

  MEPHISTOPHELES. I much regret it, ma’am; but truthfully,

  Your husband wasn’t one to waste his property.

  And he rued his faults, but his luck he cursed—

  The second more bitterly than the first. 2940

  MARGARETA. Oh, why have people such ill luck! I’m sad for them.

  I promise to pray for him with many a requiem.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. What a charming child you are! I’d say

  You deserve to be married straight away.

  MARGARETA. Oh, I’m still too young, that wouldn’t be right.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. If a husband won’t do, then a lover might.

  Why not? It’s life’s greatest blessing and pleasure

  To lie in the arms of so sweet a treasure.

  MARGARETA. That’s not the custom in this country, sir.

  MEPHISTOPHELES. Custom or not, it does occur. 2950

  MARTHA. Tell me the rest!

  MEPHISTOPHELES. I stood by his deathbed;

  It was pretty filthy, it must be said.

  But he died as a Christian, on half-rotten straw.

  His sins were absolved, though he felt he had many more.

  ‘I hate myself, he cried, ‘for what I’ve done;

  Away from my trade, away from my wife to run.

  I’m tormented by that memory.