Faust (17 page)
Authors: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
| | I am not used to that. I cannot bring myself |
| | to take a spade and till the ground. |
| | The narrow life has no appeal for me. |
| | Then, I suppose the witch is worth a try. |
| | Why must it be that ancient hag? |
| | Why can’t you brew the drink yourself? |
| | A pretty pastime during which |
| | I’d rather build a thousand bridges! |
| 2370 | Art and science is not all we need, |
| | this business requires patience too. |
| | A tranquil mind must labor many years; |
| | the fermentation is supplied by time. |
| | The recipe requires care |
| | and strange, exotic condiments. |
| | The devil showed the witch the way, |
| | but the devil cannot stoop to brew the potion. |
| | ( Notices THE ANIMALS .) |
| | Observe the dainty couple here! |
| | This is the houseboy, that’s the maid. |
| | ( To THE ANIMALS .) |
| 2380 | It seems your mistress isn’t home? |
| | Slipped away to carouse, |
| | Flew from the house, |
| | Out through the chimney! |
| | When do her revels usually end? |
| | When our paws feel warm and cozy. |
MEPHISTOPHELES
(
to
FAUST
)
.
| | How do you like the tender pets? |
| | As hideous a bunch as I have seen. |
| | But look, a discourse such as this |
| | is of the type I like above all others. |
| | ( Addressing THE ANIMALS .) |
| 2390 | Do tell me, cursed puppets, |
| | What are you stirring in that slop? |
| | We’re boiling watery beggar soup. |
| | You’re sure to find a large demand for it. |
HE-APE
(
slinks up and fawns on
MEPHISTOPHELES
)
.
| | Roll the dice, you honey, |
| | And get me some money. |
| | Be crooked and stealthy, |
| | Impatient and rash; |
| | Then I’ll be healthy, |
| | With plenty of cash. |
| 2400 | The monkey here would be so glad |
| | if he could also join a game of chance. |
| | ( Meanwhile the young apes have been playing with a large sphere which they now roll forward. ) |
| | The world is a ball, |
| | A rise and a fall; |
| | Its sparkling mass |
| | Is hollow matter, |
| | Can quickly shatter |
| | Like shiny glass. |
| | Here it’s night, |
| | There it’s bright. |
| 2410 | I am wild! |
| | My darling child, |
| | Go away, go away! |
| | You have to die. |
| | It’s only clay |
| | And goes to pieces. |
| | What about that sieve? |
HE-APE
(
takes it down
)
.
| | If you came to thieve, |
| | By this I can tell. |
| | ( Runs to SHE-APE and lets her peer through it .) |
| | Peer through the sieve! |
| 2420 | You know the thief well, |
| | And yet dare not name him? |
MEPHISTOPHELES
(
goes near the fire
)
.
| | And what of this pot? |
| | The simple sot |
| | Knows not the pot, |
| | Knows not the kettle. |
| | Impertinent beast! |
| | Take that feather duster there |
| | And sit back in your chair. |
| | ( Motions MEPHISTOPHELES to sit down .) |
FAUST
(
who all this time has been standing before a mirror, now drawing nearer, now moving away from it
)
.
| | I see a form of boundless beauty |
| 2430 | give radiance to this magic glass. 26 |
| | O Love, lend me the swiftest of your wings, |
| | and lead me to her bright regions. |
| | Ah, if I try to move from here— |
| | if I dare appraoch the mirror— |
| | she quickly fades into a cloud of mist. |
| | Oh, highest vision of a woman! |
| | Can it be? Can this woman be so fair? |
| | Do I see in her recumbent shape |
| | the form and essence of the heavens? |
| 2440 | Can this epitome be found on earth? |
| | If a god will do six days of heavy labor |
| | and in the end say “bravo” to himself, |
| | then something decent should result from it. |
| | Feast your eyes for now and sate yourself. |
| | I can arrange for such a doll for you. |
| | Good fortune will have blessed the lucky man |
| | who takes her to his home and bed. |
| | ( FAUST continues to peer into the mirror . MEPHISTOPHELES , stretching in his armchair and fanning himself with the feather duster, continues .) |
| | I sit here like a king enthroned, |
| | with scepter in hand; I only need a crown. |
THE ANIMALS
(
who until now had moved about in all kinds of curious ways, bring
MEPHISTOPHELES
a crown, chattering and shrieking
)
.
| 2450 | Oh, be a clown |
| | And paste the crown |
| | With blood and perspiration. |
| | ( They handle the crown awkwardly and break it; then gambol about with the two pieces .) |
| | Now it is done! |
| | We crawl and we run; |
| | We speak, we hear, and we rhyme— |
FAUST
(
before the mirror
)
.
| | Ah, I shall lose my mind. |
MEPHISTOPHELES
(
pointing to
THE ANIMALS
)
.
| | The devil’s head itself is reeling. |
| | And if it goes well— |
| | A lucky spell— |
| 2460 | There will be thought in it. |
FAUST
(
as above
)
.
| | A fire rises in my breast! |
| | Let us quickly get away! |
MEPHISTOPHELES
(
still in the same attitude
)
.
| | Well, at least one should acknowledge: |
| | these poets have sincerity. |
| | ( The SHE-APE has for some time neglected the cauldron. It begins to overflow; there is a large flame which blazes up the chimney. The WITCH comes down through the flame, emitting horrible shrieks.) |
| | Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! |
| | The filthy beast! The dirty swine! |
| | Neglects the pot, sears my behind! |
| | You filthy beast! |
| | ( She notices FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES.) |
| | What’s this now? |
| 2470 | Who’s that now? |
| | What do you want here? |
| | Who crept in here? |
| | Fire and flame |
| | Consume your frame! |
| | ( She dips the ladle into the cauldron |
| | and squirts flames on FAUST , |
| | MEPHISTOPHELES , and THE ANIMALS. THE ANIMALS whine .) |
MEPHISTOPHELES
(
reverses the feather duster which he holds in his hand and flails the pots and glasses with it
)
.
| | Bang! Crash! |
| | There lies the trash! |
| | The crystal is shattered, |
| | Not that it mattered. |
| | Here’s a rhythm, you bitch, |
| 2480 | For your sweet ditty. |
| | ( While the WITCH recoils, chagrined and terror-stricken .) |
| | You know me now, you hag! Abomination! |
| | You recognize your lord and master? |
| | I have a mind to strike you down, |
| | to smash you and your horde of monkeys. |
| | Is this your homage to my scarlet coat? |
| | Can you not recognize my cap and feather? |
| | I did not keep my visage out of sight. |
| | Must I announce my name to you? |
| | Forgive my uncouth greeting, master! |
| 2490 | I failed to see the equine hoof, |
| | and your two ravens—where are they? |
| | This time I’ll let you off unpunished, |
| | for certainly it has been rather long |
| | since last we saw each other face to face. |
| | The world is now a cultured place, |
| | where the devil has evolved accordingly. |
| | The Nordic phantom is entirely passé, you see, |
| | he’s shed his horns and tail and crooked fingers. |
| | As for the hoof, I cannot really do without it, |
| 2500 | but it would harm me in society, |
| | and hence, like many youthful gentlemen, |
| | I’ve worn false calves these many years. |
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