Faust Part 54

FAUST

What weave they there round the raven-stone?

MEPHISTOPHELES

I know not what they are brewing and doing.

FAUST

Soaring up, sweeping down, bowing and bending!

MEPHISTOPHELES

A witches'-guild.

FAUST

They scatter, devote and doom!

MEPHISTOPHELES

On! on!

XXV

DUNGEON

FAUST

(with a bunch of keys and a lamp, before an iron door)

A shudder, long unfelt, comes o'er me; Mankind's collected woe o'erwhelms me, here.

She dwells within the dark, damp walls before me, And all her crime was a delusion dear!

What! I delay to free her?

I dread, once again to see her?

On! my shrinking but lingers Death more near.

(He grasps the lock: the sound of singing is heard inside.)

My mother, the harlot, Who put me to death; My father, the varlet, Who eaten me hath!

Little sister, so good, Laid my bones in the wood, In the damp moss and clay: Then was I a beautiful bird o' the wood; Fly away! Fly away!

FAUST (unlocking)

She does not dream her lover listens near; That he the rattling chain, the rustling straw, can hear.

(He enters.)

MARGARET (hiding herself on the pallet) Woe! woe! They come. O death of bitterness!

FAUST (whispering) Hush! hush! The hour is come that frees thee.

MARGARET (throwing herself before him) Art thou a man, then pity my distress!

FAUST Thy cries will wake the guards, and they will seize thee!

(He takes hold of the fetters to unlock them.)

MARGARET (on her knees)

Who, headsman! unto thee such power Over me could give?

Thou'rt come for me at midnight-hour: Have mercy on me, let me live!

Is't not soon enough when morning chime has run?

(She rises.)

And I am yet so young, so young!

And now Death comes, and ruin!

I, too, was fair, and that was my undoing.

My love was near, but now he's far; Torn lies the wreath, scattered the blossoms are.

Seize me not thus so violently!

Spare me! What have I done to thee?

Let me not vainly entreat thee!

I never chanced, in all my days, to meet thee!

FAUST

Shall I outlive this misery?

MARGARET

Now am I wholly in thy might.

But let me suckle, first, my baby!

I blissed it all this livelong night; They took 't away, to vex me, maybe, And now they say I killed the child outright.

And never shall I be glad again.

They sing songs about me! 'tis bad of the folk to do it!

There's an old story has the same refrain; Who bade them so construe it?

FAUST (falling upon his knees)

Here lieth one who loves thee ever, The thraldom of thy woe to sever.

MARGARET (flinging herself beside him)

O let us kneel, and call the Saints to hide us!

Under the steps beside us, The threshold under, h.e.l.l heaves in thunder!

The Evil One With terrible wrath Seeketh a path His prey to discover!

FAUST (aloud)