Chương Chương 12 · GARDEN

p your minds.

ALTMAYER (_to_ FROSCH)

Aha! you lick your chops, from sheer anticipation.

FROSCH

Good! if I have the choice, so let the wine be Rhenish!

Our Fatherland can best the sparkling cup replenish.

MEPHISTOPHELES

(_boring a hole in the edge of the table, at the place where_

FROSCH _sits_)

Get me a little wax, to make the stoppers, quick!

ALTMAYER

Ah! I perceive a juggler’s trick.

MEPHISTOPHELES (_to_ BRANDER)

And you?

BRANDER

Champagne shall be my wine,

And let it sparkle fresh and fine!

MEPHISTOPHELES

(_bores: in the meantime one has made the wax stoppers, and

plugged the holes with them_.)

BRANDER

What’s foreign one can’t always keep quite clear of,

For good things, oft, are not so near;

A German can’t endure the French to see or hear of,

Yet drinks their wines with hearty cheer.

SIEBEL

(_as_ MEPHISTOPHELES _approaches his seat_)

For me, I grant, sour wine is out of place;

Fill up my glass with sweetest, will you?

MEPHISTOPHELES (_boring_)

Tokay shall flow at once, to fill you!

ALTMAYER

No—look me, Sirs, straight in the face!

I see you have your fun at our expense.

MEPHISTOPHELES

O no! with gentlemen of such pretence,

That were to venture far, indeed.

Speak out, and make your choice with speed!

With what a vintage can I serve you?

ALTMAYER

With any—only satisfy our need.

(_After the holes have been bored and plugged_)

MEPHISTOPHELES (_with singular gestures_)

Grapes the vine-stem bears,

Horns the he-goat wears!

The grapes are juicy, the vines are wood,

The wooden table gives wine as good!

Into the depths of Nature peer,—

Only believe there’s a miracle here!

Now draw the stoppers, and drink your fill!

ALL

(_as they draw out the stoppers, and the wine which has been

desired flows into the glass of each)_

O beautiful fountain, that flows at will!

MEPHISTOPHELES

But have a care that you nothing spill!

(_They drink repeatedly_.)

ALL (_sing_)

As ’twere five hundred hogs, we feel

So cannibalic jolly!

MEPHISTOPHELES

See, now, the race is happy—it is free!

FAUST

To leave them is my inclination.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Take notice, first! their bestiality

Will make a brilliant demonstration.

SIEBEL

(_drinks carelessly: the wine spills upon the earth, and turns to

flame_)

Help! Fire! Help! Hell-fire is sent!

MEPHISTOPHELES (_charming away the flame)_

Be quiet, friendly element!

(_To the revellers_)

A bit of purgatory ’twas for this time, merely.

SIEBEL

What mean you? Wait!—you’ll pay for’t dearly!

You’ll know us, to your detriment.

FROSCH

Don’t try that game a second time upon us!

ALTMAYER

I think we’d better send him packing quietly.

SIEBEL

What, Sir! you dare to make so free,

And play your hocus-pocus on us!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Be still, old wine-tub.

SIEBEL

Broomstick, you!

You face it out, impertinent and heady?

BRANDER

Just wait! a shower of blows is ready.

ALTMAYER

(_draws a stopper out of the table: fire flies in his face_.)

I burn! I burn!

SIEBEL

’Tis magic! Strike—

The knave is outlawed! Cut him as you like!

(_They draw their knives, and rush upon_ MEPHISTOPHELES.)

MEPHISTOPHELES (_with solemn gestures_)

False word and form of air,

Change place, and sense ensnare!

Be here—and there!

(_They stand amazed and look at each other_.)

ALTMAYER

Where am I? What a lovely land!

FROSCH

Vines? Can I trust my eyes?

SIEBEL

And purple grapes at hand!

BRANDER

Here, over this green arbor bending,

See what a vine! what grapes depending!

(_He takes_ SIEBEL _by the nose: the others do the same reciprocally,

and raise their knives_.)

MEPHISTOPHELES (_as above_)

Loose, Error, from their eyes the band,

And how the Devil jests, be now enlightened!

(_He disappears with_ FAUST: _the revellers start and separate_.)

SIEBEL

What happened?

ALTMAYER

How?

FROSCH

Was that your nose I tightened?

BRANDER (_to_ SIEBEL)

And yours that still I have in hand?

ALTMAYER

It was a blow that went through every limb!

Give me a chair! I sink! my senses swim.

FROSCH

But what has happened, tell me now?

SIEBEL

Where is he? If I catch the scoundrel hiding,

He shall not leave alive, I vow.

ALTMAYER

I saw him with these eyes upon a wine-cask riding

Out of the cellar-door, just now.

Still in my feet the fright like lead is weighing.

(_He turns towards the table_.)

Why! If the fount of wine should still be playing?

SIEBEL

’Twas all deceit, and lying, false design!

FROSCH

And yet it seemed as I were drinking wine.

BRANDER

But with the grapes how was it, pray?

ALTMAYER

Shall one believe no miracles, just say!

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

VI

WITCHES’ KITCHEN

(_Upon a low hearth stands a great caldron, under which a fire

is burning. Various figures appear in the vapors which

rise from the caldron. An ape sits beside it, skims it, and

watches lest it boil over. The he-ape, with the young

ones, sits near and warms himself. Ceiling and walls are

covered with the most fantastic witch-implements_.)

FAUST MEPHISTOPHELES

FAUST

These crazy signs of witches’ craft repel me!

I shall recover, dost thou tell me,

Through this insane, chaotic play?

From an old hag shall I demand assistance?

And will her foul mess take away

Full thirty years from my existence?

Woe’s me, canst thou naught better find!

Another baffled hope must be lamented:

Has Nature, then, and has a noble mind

Not any potent balsam yet invented?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Once more, my friend, thou talkest sensibly.

There is, to make thee young, a simpler mode and apter;

But in another book ’tis writ for thee,

And is a most eccentric chapter.

FAUST

Yet will I know it.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Good! the method is revealed

Without or gold or magic or physician.

Betake thyself to yonder field,

There hoe and dig, as thy condition;

Restrain thyself, thy sense and will

Within a narrow sphere to flourish;

With unmixed food thy body nourish;

Live with the ox as ox, and think it not a theft

That thou manur’st the acre which thou reapest;—

That, trust me, is the best mode left,

Whereby for eighty years thy youth thou keepest!

FAUST

I am not used to that; I cannot stoop to try it—

To take the spade in hand, and ply it.

The narrow being suits me not at all.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Then to thine aid the witch must call.

FAUST

Wherefore the hag, and her alone?

Canst thou thyself not brew the potion?

MEPHISTOPHELES

That were a charming sport, I own:

I’d build a thousand bridges meanwhile, I’ve a notion.

Not Art and Science serve, alone;

Patience must in the work be shown.

Long is the calm brain active in creation;

Time, only, strengthens the fine fermentation.

And all, belonging thereunto,

Is rare and strange, howe’er you take it:

The Devil taught the thing, ’tis true,

And yet the Devil cannot make it.

(_Perceiving the Animals_)

See, what a delicate race they be!

That is the maid! the man is he!

(_To the Animals_)

It seems the mistress has gone away?

THE ANIMALS

Carousing, to-day!

Off and about,

By the chimney out!

MEPHISTOPHELES

What time takes she for dissipating?

THE ANIMALS

While we to warm our paws are waiting.

MEPHISTOPHELES (_to_ FAUST)

How findest thou the tender creatures?

FAUST

Absurder than I ever yet did see.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Why, just such talk as this, for me,

Is that which has the most attractive features!

(_To the Animals_)

But tell me now, ye cursed puppets,

Why do ye stir the porridge so?

THE ANIMALS

We’re cooking watery soup for beggars.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Then a great public you can show.

THE HE-APE

(_comes up and fawns on_ MEPHISTOPHELES)

O cast thou the dice!

Make me rich in a trice,

Let me win in good season!

Things are badly controlled,

And had I

SCENE 13.