A Prison.

Faust, with a bundle of keys in his hand and a lamp, before an iron door.

Faust. A strange cold shuddering dread comes o’er me, all The up-heaped wretchedness of time. Here dwells she now behind this damp cold wall, And dear delusion was her only crime! Fear’st thou to go to her? Tremblest to meet her eye? Quick! thy delay but brings her death more nigh.

[He seizes the lock. Singing heard from within.

My mother, the wanton, That choked my breath! My father, the villain, That dined on my death! My sister dear, In the cool green shade My bones she laid; Then was I a glad little bird in the May; Fly away! fly away!

Faust. [opening the door] She dreams not that her loved one is so near, The clinking chains and rustling straw to hear.

Margaret. [hiding herself on the bed] Woe, woe! they come.—To bitter death they call.

Faust. [softly] Hush! hush! I come to free thee from their thrall!

Margaret. [throwing herself at his feet] Art thou a man? feel for my hapless plight.

Faust. Thy cries will wake the watchers of the night!

[He takes hold of the chains to unloose them.

Margaret. [on her knees] Who gave thee, hangman, such a power To drag me from my cell at midnight hour? Have pity on me! Be not so harsh!—so rough! Surely to-morrow morn is soon enough. [She stands up.] So young, so very young, am I, And must already die! Once I was lovely too—’twas this that caused my fall. Near was the friend, but far from me to-day; Torn lies the wreath, the flowers are scattered all. Oh tear me not so forcibly away! Spare me! what have I done to injure thee? Oh hear my prayer! for once compassion show!— ’Tis the first time I ever looked on thee.

Faust. That I should live to see such depth of woe!

Margaret. Thou hast me now completely in thy might. Only first give me time to suckle my sweet child. I hugged it the whole weary night; They took’t from me in very spite; And now they say I murdered the sweet child, And never more shall I be glad again. They sing songs on me, too! A wicked thing to do! ’Tis the refrain Of a grim old melody: Who taught them that its words were meant for me?

Faust. [throwing himself down] Here, at thy feet, behold who loves thee fall, To strike thy shackles, and to break thy thrall!

Margaret. [falling beside him on her knees] Yes! let us kneel and call upon the Saints! Beneath these steps, I hear it well! Beneath the threshold, Boileth Hell! The evil One His fury vents, With fearful yell!

Faust. [loud] Gretchen! Gretchen!

Margaret. [attentive] That was the loved one’s voice! [She springs up; the chains fall away.] Where is he? where? I heard him call on me, Now I am free! and none shall hinder me! To his neck will I fly! On his bosom lie! He called me his Gretchen! he stood at the door. Through the wild howling and hissing of Hell, Through the loud-laughing scorn and the fiendish uproar, Came the sweet voice of love that I know so well.

Faust. ’Tis I!

Margaret. ’Tis thou! O say it yet again! [Clasping him.] ’Tis he! ’tis he! Where now is all my pain? Where all my prison’s woe? my fetters where? ’Tis he! he comes to lift me from this lair Of wretchedness! I’m free, I’m free! Already the well-known street I see, Where the first time I spake to thee, And the pleasant garden, where Martha and I did wait for thee.

Faust. [striving forward] Come, come!

Margaret. O stay, stay! Thou know’st how pleased I stay where thou dost stay.

[Caressing him.

Faust. Away, away! Unless we haste, Dearly we’ll pay for these few moments’ waste.

Margaret. How! giv’st thou me no kiss? My friend, so very short a space away, And hast forgot to kiss? Why feel I now so straitened when I hold Thee in my arms? It was not so of old, When from thy words and looks, a heaven of bliss Came down; and thou didst kiss As thou would’st smother me. Come, kiss me! kiss! Else kiss I thee! [She embraces him.] O woe! thy lips are cold, Are dumb; Where is the love thy swelling bosom bore Whilome for me? why are thy lips so cold?

[She turns away from him.

Faust. Come with me, sweet love, come! I’ll hug thee ten times closer than before, Only come with me now! Come, I implore!

Margaret. [turning to him] Art thou then he? Art thou then truly he?

Faust. ’Tis I, in truth. Come, love, and follow me.

Margaret. And these vile chains thou breakest, And me again unto thy bosom takest? How canst thou dare to turn fond eyes on me? Know’st thou then, Henry, whom thou com’st to free?

Faust. Come, come! the night sinks fast; come, follow me!

Margaret. My mother slept a sleep profound! I drugged her to’t; My little babe I drowned! Was it not heaven’s boon to me and thee? Thee, too!—’tis thou! I scarce may deem My sense speaks true. Give me thy hand! It is no dream! Thy dear, dear hand! Alas! but it is wet! Wipe it; for it is wet With blood! O God! what hast thou done? Put up thy sword; I pray thee put it up.

Faust. Let gone be gone! Thou stabbest me with daggers, every word.

Margaret. No! thou shalt survive our sorrow! I will describe the graves to thee, Where thou shalt bury them and me To-morrow. The best place thou shalt give my mother; Close beside her lay my brother; Me a little to the side, But at distance not too wide! And my child at my right breast.— These, and none else with us shall rest! Me on thy loving side to press, That was a heaven of blessedness! But now, I cannot do it more; I feel as I must force my love to thee, And thou didst coldly fling me back from thee; And yet ’tis thou!—as good, as loving as before.

Faust. ’Tis I, even I, come, sweet love, come!

Margaret. Out there?

Faust. Into the open air.

Margaret. If the grave be there, And death there waits, then come! Hence to my eternal home, Not a step more.— Thou leav’st me now?—would I might go with thee?

Faust. Thou canst, if thou but wilt. I have unbarred the door.

Margaret. I may not go; no hope for me remains; They watch me close—my home is with my chains. It is so sad to beg from door to door; A guilty thing from human loves outcast, A homeless earth to wander o’er; And they are sure to find me out at last.

Faust. I will protect thee.

Margaret. Quick! Quick! Save thy poor child! Away, away! Keep the path Up the stream, Across the bridge, To the left hand, Where the plank stands, In the pond, Seize it, quick! It rises up, It kicks! it lives! O save it, save it!

Faust. Only bethink thee! One step more, and thou art free.

Margaret. Would we were past that mountain gray! There sits my mother on a stone— I feel a hand that pulls me back As cold as clay! There sits my mother on a stone; Her head sways heavily; She winks not, she nods not, her head she may not raise. She slept so long, she never more may wake. She slept that we might our enjoyment take. O these were happy days!

Faust. Here words and prayers will only make things worse; Come! come; or I must hale thee hence by force.

Margaret. Let me alone! lay no rough hands on me! Nor with such murderous clutches seize me! Thou know’st I have done everything to please thee.

Faust. The day dawns. Come, my Gretchen, follow me!

Margaret. Day! yes, it is day! the Judgment-day breaks in! My marriage-day it should have been! Let no one know thou wert before with Margaret. Woe to my wreath! ’Tis done! oh, pain! We will meet again; But not at the dance. The thronging crowds advance With bated breath; No word is spoken; The squares, the streets, Cannot contain them all. The bell doth call, The staff is broken, They bind me with cords, they drag me away, And on the bloody block me lay; And every trembling eye doth quake At the blade that is brandished o’er my neck. Mute lies the world as the grave!

Faust. O had I ne’er been born!

Mephistopheles. [appearing from without] Up! or no help can save! Profitless whining, whimpering, and prating! Meanwhile my eager steeds are waiting, Snuffing the scent of the morning air.

Margaret. What’s that from the floor uprising there? ’Tis he! ’Tis he! O send his hateful face Away! What seeks he in this holy place? He comes for me!

Faust. No! thou shalt live.

Margaret. Judgment of God! to thee my soul I give.

Mephistopheles. [to Faust] Come, come! else will I leave you to your fate!

Margaret. Thine am I, Father! O shut not the gate Of mercy on me! Ye angels! ye most holy Spirits! now Encamp around me! and protect me now! Henry, I tremble when I think on thee.

Mephistopheles. She is judged!

Voice. [from above] Is saved!

Mephistopheles. [to Faust] Hither to me!

Voice. [from within, dying away] Henry! Henry!