Bab Bab 13 · A GARDEN-ARBOR

but gold,

So had I my reason.

MEPHISTOPHELES

How would the ape be sure his luck enhances.

Could he but try the lottery’s chances!

(_In the meantime the young apes have been playing with a

large ball, which they now roll forward_.)

THE HE-APE

The world’s the ball:

Doth rise and fall,

And roll incessant:

Like glass doth ring,

A hollow thing,—

How soon will’t spring,

And drop, quiescent?

Here bright it gleams,

Here brighter seems:

I live at present!

Dear son, I say,

Keep thou away!

Thy doom is spoken!

’Tis made of clay,

And will be broken.

MEPHISTOPHELES

What means the sieve?

THE HE-APE (_taking it down_)

Wert thou the thief,

I’d know him and shame him.

(_He runs to the_ SHE-APE, _and lets her look through it_.)

Look through the sieve!

Know’st thou the thief,

And darest not name him?

MEPHISTOPHELES (_approaching the fire)_

And what’s this pot?

HE-APE AND SHE-APE

The fool knows it not!

He knows not the pot,

He knows not the kettle!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Impertinent beast!

THE HE-APE

Take the brush here, at least,

And sit down on the settle!

(_He invites_ MEPHISTOPHELES _to sit down_.)

FAUST

(_who during all this time has been standing before a mirror,

now approaching and now retreating from it_)

What do I see? What heavenly form revealed

Shows through the glass from Magic’s fair dominions!

O lend me, Love, the swiftest of thy pinions,

And bear me to her beauteous field!

Ah, if I leave this spot with fond designing,

If I attempt to venture near,

Dim, as through gathering mist, her charms appear!—

A woman’s form, in beauty shining!

Can woman, then, so lovely be?

And must I find her body, there reclining,

Of all the heavens the bright epitome?

Can Earth with such a thing be mated?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Why, surely, if a God first plagues Himself six days,

Then, self-contented, _Bravo_! says,

Must something clever be created.

This time, thine eyes be satiate!

I’ll yet detect thy sweetheart and ensnare her,

And blest is he, who has the lucky fate,

Some day, as bridegroom, home to bear her.

(FAUST _gazes continually in the mirror_. MEPHISTOPHELES,

_stretching himself out on the settle, and playing with the

brush, continues to speak_.)

So sit I, like the King upon his throne:

I hold the sceptre, here,—and lack the crown alone.

THE ANIMALS

(_who up to this time have been making all kinds of fantastic

movements together bring a crown to_ MEPHISTOPHELES

_with great noise_.)

O be thou so good

With sweat and with blood

The crown to belime!

(_They handle the crown awkwardly and break it into two

pieces, with which they spring around_.)

’Tis done, let it be!

We speak and we see,

We hear and we rhyme!

FAUST (_before the mirror_)

Woe’s me! I fear to lose my wits.

MEPHISTOPHELES (_pointing to the Animals_)

My own head, now, is really nigh to sinking.

THE ANIMALS

If lucky our hits,

And everything fits,

’Tis thoughts, and we’re thinking!

FAUST (_as above_)

My bosom burns with that sweet vision;

Let us, with speed, away from here!

MEPHISTOPHELES (_in the same attitude_)

One must, at least, make this admission—

They’re poets, genuine and sincere.

(_The caldron, which the_ SHE-APE _has up to this time neglected

to watch, begins to boil over: there ensues a great flame_,

_which blazes out the chimney. The_ WITCH _comes careering

down through the flame, with terrible cries_.)

THE WITCH

Ow! ow! ow! ow!

The damnéd beast—the curséd sow!

To leave the kettle, and singe the Frau!

Accurséd fere!

(_Perceiving_ FAUST _and_ MEPHISTOPHELES.)

What is that here?

Who are you here?

What want you thus?

Who sneaks to us?

The fire-pain

Burn bone and brain!

(_She plunges the skimming-ladle into the caldron, and scatters

flames towards_ FAUST, MEPHISTOPHELES, _and the Animals.

The Animals whimper_.)

MEPHISTOPHELES

(_reversing the brush, which he has been holding in his hand,

and striding among the jars and glasses_)

In two! in two!

There lies the brew!

There lies the glass!

The joke will pass,

As time, foul ass!

To the singing of thy crew.

(_As the_ WITCH _starts back, full of wrath and horror_)

Ha! know’st thou me? Abomination, thou!

Know’st thou, at last, thy Lord and Master?

What hinders me from smiting now

Thee and thy monkey-sprites with fell disaster?

Hast for the scarlet coat no reverence?

Dost recognize no more the tall cock’s-feather?

Have I concealed this countenance?—

Must tell my name, old face of leather?

THE WITCH

O pardon, Sir, the rough salute!

Yet I perceive no cloven foot;

And both your ravens, where are _they_ now?

MEPHISTOPHELES

This time, I’ll let thee ’scape the debt;

For since we two together met,

’Tis verily full many a day now.

Culture, which smooth the whole world licks,

Also unto the Devil sticks.

The days of that old Northern phantom now are over:

Where canst thou horns and tail and claws discover?

And, as regards the foot, which I can’t spare, in truth,

’Twould only make the people shun me;

Therefore I’ve worn, like many a spindly youth,

False calves these many years upon me.

THE WITCH (_dancing_)

Reason and sense forsake my brain,

Since I behold Squire Satan here again!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Woman, from such a name refrain!

THE WITCH

Why so? What has it done to thee?

MEPHISTOPHELES

It’s long been written in the Book of Fable;

Yet, therefore, no whit better men we see:

The Evil One has left, the evil ones are stable.

Sir Baron call me thou, then is the matter good;

A cavalier am I, like others in my bearing.

Thou hast no doubt about my noble blood:

See, here’s the coat-of-arms that I am wearing!

(_He makes an indecent gesture_.)

THE WITCH (_laughs immoderately_)

Ha! ha! That’s just your way, I know:

A rogue you are, and you were always so.

MEPHISTOPHELES (_to_ FAUST)

My friend, take proper heed, I pray!

To manage witches, this is just the way.

THE WITCH

Wherein, Sirs, can I be of use?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Give us a goblet of the well-known juice!

But, I must beg you, of the oldest brewage;

The years a double strength produce.

THE WITCH

With all my heart! Now, here’s a bottle,

Wherefrom, sometimes, I wet my throttle,

Which, also, not the slightest, stinks;

And willingly a glass I’ll fill him.

(_Whispering_)

Yet, if this man without due preparation drinks,

As well thou know’st, within an hour ’twill kill him.

MEPHISTOPHELES

He is a friend of mine, with whom it will agree,

And he deserves thy kitchen’s best potation:

Come, draw thy circle, speak thine adjuration,

And fill thy goblet full and free!

THE WITCH

(_with fantastic gestures draws a circle and places mysterious

articles therein; meanwhile the glasses begin to ring, the

caldron to sound, and make a musical accompaniment.

Finally she brings a great book, and stations in the circle

the Apes, who are obliged to serve as reading-desk, and to

hold the torches. She then beckons_ FAUST _to approach_.)

FAUST (_to_ MEPHISTOPHELES)

Now, what shall come of this? the creatures antic,

The crazy stuff, the gestures frantic,—

All the repulsive cheats I view,—

Are known to me, and hated, too.

MEPHISTOPHELES

O, nonsense! That’s a thing for laughter;

Don’t be so terribly severe!

She juggles you as doctor now, that, after,

The beverage may work the proper cheer.

(_He persuades_ FAUST _to step into the circle_.)

THE WITCH

(_begins to declaim, with much emphasis, from the book_)

See, thus it’s done!

Make ten of one,

And two let be,

Make even three,

And rich thou ’It be.

Cast o’er the four!

SCENE 14.