creatures. There is no longer any walking upon feet, wherefore we walk upon our heads. THE MALADROIT ONES. In times past we have sponged many a tit-bit ; but now, good bye to all that! Our shoes are danced through; we run on bare soles. WILL-O'THE-WISPS. We come from the bog, from which we are just sprung; but we are the glittering gallants here in the dance directly. STAR-SHOOT. From on high, in star-and-fire-light, I shot hither. I am now lying crooked-ways in the grass; who will help me upon my legs? THE MASSIVE ONES. Room! room! and round about! so down go the grass-stalks. Spirits are coming, but spirits as they are, they have plump limbs. PUCK. Don't tread so heavily, like elephant's calves; and the plumpest on this day be the stout Puck himself. ARIEL. If kind nature gave-if the spirit gave you wings, follow my light track up to the hill of roses! ORCHESTRA, pianissimo. Drifting clouds, and wreathed mists, brighten from on high! Breeze in the leaves, and wind in the rushes, and all is dissipated! A GLOOMY DAY.-A PLAIN. FAUST.-MEphistopheles. FAUST. IN misery! Despairing! Long a wretched wanderer upon the earth, and now a prisoner! The dear, unhappy being, cooped up in the dungeon, as a malefactor, for horrid tortures ! Even to that! to that! Treacherous, worthless Spirit, and this hast thou concealed from me! Stand, only stand! roll thy devilish eyes infuriated in thy head! Stand and brave me with thy unbearable presence! A prisoner! In irremediable misery! Given over to evil spirits, and to sentence-passing, unfeeling man! And me, in the mean time, hast thou been lulling with tasteless dissipations, concealing her growing wretchedness from me, and leaving her to perish without help. MEPHISTOPHeles. She is not the first. FAUST. Dog! horrible monster !-Turn him, thou Infinite Spirit! turn the reptile back again into his dog's shape, in which he was often pleased to trot before me by night, to roll before the feet of the harmless wanderer, and fasten on his shoul ders when he fell. vourite shape, that he may crouch on his belly before me in the sand, whilst I spurn him with my foot, the reprobate! Not the first! Woe! woe! It is inconceivable by any human soul, that more than one creature can have sunk into such a depth of misery,-that the first, in its writhing-death-agony, was not sufficient to atone for the guilt of all the rest in the sight of the Ever-pardoning. It harrows up my marrow and my very life, the misery of this one: thou art grinning calmly at the fate of thousands. Turn him again into his fa MEPHISTOPHELES. Now are we already at our wits' end again! just where the sense of you mortals snaps with overstraining. Why dost thou enter into fellowship with us, if thou canst not go through with it? Will'st fly, and art not safe from dizziness? Did we force ourselves on thee, or thou thyself on us? FAUST. Gnash not thy greedy teeth thus defyingly at me! I loathe thee! Great, glorious Spirit, thou who deignest to appear to me, thou who knowest my heart and my soul, why yoke me to this shame-fellow, who feeds on mischief, and battens on destruction! Hast done? MEPHISTOPHEles. FAUST. Save her! or woe to thee! The most horri ble curse on thee for thousands of years!, MEPHISTOPHeles. I cannot loosen the shackles of the avenger, nor undo his bolts.-Save her!-Who was it that plunged her into ruin? I or thou? (FAUST looks wildly around.) Art thou grasping after the thunder? Well that. it is not given to you wretched mortals! To dash to pieces one who replies to you in all innocence that is just the tyrant's way of venting himself in perplexities. FAUST. Bring me thither! She shall be free! MEPHISTOPHELES. And the danger to which you expose yourself? Know, the guilt of blood, from your hand, still lies upon the town. Avenging spirits hover over the place of the slain, and lie in wait for the returning murderer. FAUST. That, too, from thee? Murder and death of a world upon thee, monster! Conduct me thith er, I say, and free her! MEPHISTOPHELES. I will conduct thee, and what I can, hear! Have I all power in heaven and upon earth? I will cloud the gaoler's senses; do you possess yourself of the keys, and bear her off with human hand. I will watch! The magic horses will be ready, I will bear you off. This much I can do.. FAUST. Up and away! NIGHT. OPEN PLAIN. FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES rushing along upon black horses. FAUST. What are they working-those about the Ravenstone yonder? MEPHISTOPHeles. -Can't tell what they're cooking and making. FAUST. -Are waving upwards-waving downwards -bending-stooping. MEPHISTOPHEles. A witch company. FAUST. They are sprinkling and charming. MEPHISTOPHELES. On! on! |
