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Promenade - Faust And Mephistopheles
Promenade - Faust And Mephistopheles
Faust walking thoughtfully up and down. To him Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles
By all rejected love! By hellish fire I curse,
Would I knew aught to make my imprecation worse!
Faust
What aileth thee? what chafes thee now so sore?
A face like that I never saw before!
Mephistopheles
I`d yield me to the devil instantly,
Did it not happen that myself am he!
Faust
There must be some disorder in thy wit!
To rave thus like a madman, is it fit?
Mephistopheles
Think! only think! The gems for Gretchen brought,
Them hath a priest now made his own! -
A glimpse of them the mother caught,
And `gan with secret fear to groan.
The woman`s scent is keen enough;
Doth ever in the prayer - book snuff;
Smells every article to ascertain
Whether the thing is holy or profane,
And scented in the jewels rare,
That there was not much blessing there.
"My child," she cries, "ill - gotten good
Ensnares the soul, consumes the blood;
With them we`ll deck our Lady`s shrine,
She`ll cheer our souls with bread divine!"
At this poor Gretchen `gan to pout;
`Tis a gift - horse, at least, she thought,
And sure, he godless cannot be,
Who brought them here so cleverly.
Straight for a priest the mother sent,
Who, when he understood the jest,
With what he saw was well content.
"This shows a pious mind!" Quoth he:
"Self - conquest is true victory.
The Church hath a good stomach, she, with zest,
Whole countries hath swallow`d down,
And never yet a surfeit known.
The Church alone, be it confessed,
Daughters, can ill - got wealth digest."
Faust
It is a general custom, too.
Practised alike by king and jew.
Mephistopheles
With that, clasp, chain, and ring, he swept
As they were mushrooms; and the casket,
Without one word of thanks, he kept,
As if of nuts it were a basket.
Promised reward in heaven, then forth he hied -
And greatly they were edified.
Faust
And Gretchen!
Mephistopheles
In unquiet mood
Knows neither what she would or should;
The trinkets night and day thinks o`er,
On him who brought them, dwells still more.
Faust
The darling`s sorrow grieves me, bring
Another set without delay!
The first, methinks, was no great thing.
Mephistopheles
All`s to my gentleman child`s play!
Faust
Plan all things to achieve my end!
Engage the attention of her friend!
No milk - and - water devil be,
And bring fresh jewels instantly!
Mephistopheles
Ay, sir! Most gladly I`ll obey.
(Faust exit.)
Mephistopheles
Your doting love - sick fool, with ease,
Merely his lady - love to please,
Sun, moon, and stars in sport would puff away.
(Exit.)
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