PROMENADE. FAUST walking up and down thoughtfully. To him MEPHISTOPHEles. By all despised love! By the elements of hell! Would that I knew something worse to curse by! FAUST. What is the matter? What is it that pinches you so sharply? I never saw such a face in my life! MEPHISTOPHEles. I could give myself to the devil directly, were I not the devil myself. FAUST. Is your brain disordered? It becomes you truly, to rave like a madman. MEPHISTOPHEles. Only think. A priest has carried off the jewels provided for Margaret. The mother gets sight of the thing, and begins at once to have a secret horror of it. Truly the woman hath a fine nose, is ever snuffling in her prayer-book, and smells at every piece of furniture to try whether the thing be holy or profane; and she plainly smells out in the jewels, that there was not much blessing connected with them. My child, said she, ill-gotten wealth ensnares the soul, consumes the blood. We will consecrate it to the Mother of God; she will gladden us with heavenly manna. Margaret pouted her lips it is after all, thought she, a gift horse; and truly, he cannot be godless, who brought it here so handsomely. The mother sent for a priest. Scarcely had he heard the jest, but he seemed well pleased with the sight. He spoke: "this shows a good disposition; he who conquers, he is the gainer. The church has a good stomach, she has eaten up whole countries, and has never yet over-eaten herself. The church alone, my good women, can digest ill-gotten wealth." FAUST. That is a general custom; a Jew and a King can do it too. MEPHISTOPHEles. So saying he swept off clasp, chain and ring, as if they were so many mushrooms; thanked them neither more nor less than if it had been a basket of nuts; promised them all heavenly reward, and very much edified they were. And Margaret FAUST. MEPHISTOPHeles. Is now sitting full of restlessness; wishing she knows not what; thinks day and night on the trinkets, and still more on him who brought them. FAUST. My love's grief distresses me. Get her another set immediately. The first were no great things. MEPHISTOPHeles. Oh! to be sure, all is child's play to the gentleman! FAUST. Do it, and order it as I wish. Stick close to her neighbour. Don't be a milk-and-water devil; and fetch a fresh set of jewels. MEPHISTOPHEles. With all my heart, honoured Sir. FAUST exit. A love-sick fool like this puffs away sun and moon and stars indifferently, by way of pastime for his mistress. THE NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE. MARTHA alone. God forgive my dear husband; he has not acted well towards me. He goes straight away into the world, and leaves me widowed and lonely. Yet truly I never did anything to vex him; God knows I loved him to my heart. (She weeps.) Very probably he is dead. Oh, torture! Had I but a certificate of his death! My knees almost sink under me! I have found just such another ebony casket in my press, and things quite magnificent, a deal costlier than the first were. MARTHA. You must say nothing about it to your mother. She would carry it to the confessional again. MARGARET. Now, only see; only look at them. I MARTHA dresses her up in them. Oh! you lucky creature. MARGARET. Unfortunately, I must not be seen in them in the street nor in the church. MARTHA. Do but come over frequently to me, and put on the trinkets here in private. Walk a little hour up and down before the looking-glass; we shall find our enjoyment in that. And then an occasion offers, a festival occurs, where little by little one lets folks see them. First a chain, then the pearl ear-rings. Your mother, perhaps, will not observe it, or one may make some pretence to her. MARGARET. But who could have brought the two caskets? There is something not right about it. (Some one knocks.) MARGARET. Good God! can that be my mother? MARTHA, looking through the blinds. It is a stranger-come in! MEPHISTOPHELES enters. I have made free to come in at once; I have to beg pardon of the ladies. (He steps back respectfully before Margaret.) I came to inquire after Mrs. Martha Schwerdtlein. |