Nay！　nay！　A　model　which　all　women　shall　surpass；　In　flesh　and　blood　ere　long
  thou　shalt　survey。
  （Aside。）
  As　works　that　draught；　thou　presently　shalt　greet　A　Helen　in　each　woman
  thou　dost　meet。
  A　Street　…　Faust　Meets　Margaret
  Faust　（Margaret　passing　by）
  Faust　And　Margaret：　The　meeting　of　Faust　and　Margaret。＇
  Faust
  Fair　lady；　may　I　thus　make　free　To　offer　you　my　arm　and　company？
  Margaret
  I　am　no　lady；　am　not　fair；　Can　without　escort　home　repair。
  （She　disengages　herself　and　exit。）
  Faust
  By　heaven！　This　girl　is　fair　indeed！　No　form　like　hers　can　I　recall。　Virtue　she
  hath；　and　modest　heed；　Is　piquant　too；　and　sharp　withal。　Her　cheek's　soft
  light；　her　rosy　lips；　No　length　of　time　will　e'er　eclipse！　Her　downward　glance
  in　passing　by；　Deep　in　my　heart　is　stamp'd　for　aye；　How　curt　and　sharp　her
  answer　too；　To　ecstasy　the　feeling　grew！
  （Mephistopheles　enters。）
  Faust
  This　girl　must　win　for　me！　Dost　hear？
  Mephistopheles
  Which？
  Faust
  She　who　but　now　passed。
  Mephistopheles
  What！　She？　She　from　confession　cometh　here；　From　every　sin　absolved　and
  free；　I　crept　near　the　confessor's　chair。　All　innocence　her　virgin　soul；　For　next
  to　nothing　went　she　there；　O'er　such　as　she　I've　no　control！
  Faust
  She's　past　fourteen。
  Mephistopheles
  You　really　talk
  Like　any　gay　Lothario；　Who　every　floweret　from　its　stalk　Would　pluck；　and
  deems　nor　grace；　nor　truth；　Secure　against　his　arts；　forsooth！　This　ne'er　the
  less　won't　always　do。
  Faust
  Sir　Moralizer；　prithee；　pause；　Nor　plague　me　with　your　tiresome　laws！
  Goethe
  To　cut　the　matter　short；　my　friend；　She　must　this　very　night　be　mine；　And　if　to
  help　me　you　decline；　Midnight　shall　see　our　compact　end。
  Mephistopheles
  What　may　occur　just　bear　in　mind！　A　fortnight's　space；　at　least；　I　need；　A　fit
  occasion　but　to　find。
  Faust
  With　but　seven　hours　I　could　succeed；　Nor　should　I　want　the　devil's　wile；　So
  young　a　creature　to　beguile。
  Mephistopheles
  Like　any　Frenchman　now　you　speak；　But　do　not　fret；　I　pray；　why　seek　To
  hurry　to　enjoyment　straight？　The　pleasure　is　not　half　so　great；　As　when　at　first
  around；　above；　With　all　the　fooleries　of　love；　The　puppet　you　can　knead　and
  mould　As　in　Italian　story　oft　is　told。
  Faust
  No　such　incentives　do　I　need。
  Mephistopheles
  But　now；　without　offense　or　jest！　You　cannot　quickly；　I　protest；　In　winning
  this　sweet　child　succeed。　By　storm　we　cannot　take　the　fort；　To　stratagem　we
  must　resort。
  Faust
  Conduct　me　to　her　place　of　rest！　Some　token　of　the　angel　bring！　A　kerchief
  from　her　snowy　breast；　A　garter　bring　me；　…　any　thing！
  Mephistopheles
  That　I　my　anxious　zeal　may　prove；　Your　pangs　to　sooth　and　aid　your　love；　A
  single　moment　will　we　not　delay；　Will　lead　you　to　her　room　this　very　day。
  Faust
  And　shall　I　see　her？　…　Have　her？
  Mephistopheles
  No！　She　to　a　neighbour's　house　will　go；　But　in　her　atmosphere　alone；　The
  tedious　hours　meanwhile　you　may　employ；　In　blissful　dreams　of　future　joy。
  Faust
  Can　we　go　now？
  Mephistopheles
  'Tis　yet　too　soon。
  Faust
  Some　present　for　my　love　procure！
  （Exit。）
  Mephistopheles
  Presents　so　soon！　'tis　well！　success　is　sure！　Full　many　a　goodly　place　I　know；
  And　treasures　buried　long　ago；　I　must　a　bit　o'erlook　them　now。
  （Exit。）
  Evening　…　A　Small　And　Neat　Room
  Margaret
  （braiding　and　binding　up　her　hair）
  I　would　give　something　now　to　know；　Who　yonder　gentleman　could　be！　He
  had　a　gallant　air；　I　trow；　And　doubtless　was　of　high　degree：　That　written　on
  his　brow　was　seen　Nor　else　would　he　so　bold　have　been。
  （Exit。）
  Mephistopheles
  Come　in！　tread　softly！　be　discreet！
  Faust　（after　a　pause）
  Begone　and　leave　me；　I　entreat！
  Mephistopheles　（looking　round）
  Not　every　maiden　is　so　neat
  （Exit。）
  Faust　（gazing　round）
  Welcome　sweet　twilight；　calm　and　blest；　That　in　this　hallow'd　precinct　reigns！
  Fond　yearning　love；　inspire　my　breast；　Feeding　on　hope's　sweet　dew　thy
  blissful　pains！　What　stillness　here　environs　me！　Content　and　order　brood
  around。　What　fulness　in　this　poverty！　In　this　small　cell　what　bliss　profound！
  （He　throws　himself　on　the　leather　arm　…　chair　beside　the　bed）
  Receive　me　thou；　who　hast　in　thine　embrace；　Welcom'd　in　joy　and　grief　the
  ages　flown！　How　oft　the　children　of　a　by　…　gone　race　Have　cluster'd　round　this
  patriarchal　throne！　Haply　she；　also；　whom　I　hold　so　dear；　For　Christmas　gift；
  with　grateful　joy　possess'd；　Hath　with　the　full　round　cheek　of　childhood；　here；
  Her　grandsire's　wither'd　hand　devoutly　press'd。　Maiden！　I　feel　thy　spirit　haunt
  the　place；　Breathing　of　order　and　abounding　grace。　As　with　a　mother's　voice　it
  prompteth　thee；　The　pure　white　cover　o'er　the　board　to　spread；　To　strew　the
  crisping　sand　beneath　thy　tread。　Dear　hand！　so　godlike　in　its　ministry！　The　hut
  becomes　a　paradise　through　thee！　And　here　…　（He　raises　the　bed　…　curtain。）
  How　thrills　my　pulse　with　strange　delight！　Here　could　I　linger　hours　untold；
  Thou；　Nature；　didst　in　vision　bright；　The　embryo　angel　here　unfold。　Here　lay
  the　child；　her　bosom　warm　With　life；　while　steeped　in　slumber's　dew；　To
  perfect　grace；　her　godlike　form；　With　pure　and　hallow'd　weavings　grew！
  And　thou！　ah　here　what　seekest　thou？　How　quails　mine　inmost　being　now！
  What　wouldst　thou　here？　what　makes　thy　heart　so　sore？　Unhappy　Faust！　I
  know　thee　now　no　more。
  Do　I　a　magic　atmosphere　inhale？　Erewhile；　my　passion　would　not　brook
  delay！　Now　in　a　pure　love　…　dream　I　melt　away。　Are　we　the　sport　of　every
  passing　gale？
  Should　she　return　and　enter　now；　How　wouldst　thou　rue　thy　guilty　flame！
  Proud　vaunter　…　thou　wouldst　hide　thy　brow；　And　at　her　feet　sink　down　with
  shame。
  Mephistopheles
  Quick！　quick！　below　I　see　her　there。
  Faust
  Away！　I　will　return　no　more！
  Mephistopheles
  Here　is　a　casket；　with　a　store　Of　jewels；　which　I　got　elsewhere　Just　lay　it　in
  the　press；　make　haste！　I　swear　to　you；　'twill　turn　her　brain；　Therein　some
  trifles　I　have　placed；　Wherewith　another　to　obtain。　But　child　is　child；　and　play
  is　play。
  Faust
  I　know　not　…　shall　I？
  Mephistopheles
  Do　you　ask？　Perchance　you　would　retain　the　treasure？　If　such　your　wish；　why
  then；　I　say；　Henceforth　absolve　me　from　my　task；　Nor　longer　waste　your
  hours　of　leisure。　I　trust　you're　not　by　avarice　led！　I　rub　my　hands；　I　scratch　my
  head；
  （He　places　the　casket　in　the　press　and　closes　the　lock。）
  Now　quick！　Away！　That　soon　the　sweet　young　creature　may　The　wish　and
  purpose　of　your　heart　obey；　Yet　stand　you　there　As　would　you　to　the　lecture
  …　room　repair；　As　if　before　you　stood；　Arrayed　in　flesh　and　blood；　Physics
  and　metaphysics　weird　and　grey！　Away！
  （Exeunt。）
  Margaret　（with　a　lamp）
  Here　'tis　so　close；　so　sultry　now；
  （She　opens　the　window。）
  Yet　out　of　doors　'tis　not　so　warm。　I　feel　so　strange；　I　know　not　how　I　wish　my
  mother　would　come　home。　Through　me　there　runs　a　shuddering　I'm　but　a
  foolish　timid　thing！
  （While　undressing　herself　she　begins　to　sing。）
  There　was　a　king　in　Thule；　True　even　to　the　grave；　To　whom　his　dying
  mistress　A　golden　beaker　gave。
  At　every　feast　he　drained　it；　Naught　was　to　him　so　dear；　And　often　as　he
  drained　it；　Gush'd　from　his　eyes　the　tear。
  When　death　came；　unrepining　His　cities　o'er　he　told；　All　to　his　heir　resigning；
  Except　his　cup　of　gold。
  With　many　a　knightly　vassal　At　a　royal　feast　sat　he；　In　yon　proud　hall
  ancestral；　In　his　castle　o'er　the　sea。
  Up　stood　the　jovial　monarch；　And　quaff'd　his　last　life's　glow；　Then　hurled　the
  hallow'd　goblet　Into　the　flood　below。
  He　saw　it　splashing；　drinking；　And　plunging　in　the　sea；　His　eyes　meanwhile
  were　sinking；　And　never　again　drank　he。
  （She　opens　the　press　to　put　away　her　clothes；　and　perceives　the　casket。）
  How　comes　this　lovely　casket　here？　The　press　I　locked；　of　that　I'm　confident。
  'Tis　very　wonderful！　What's　in　it　I　can't　guess；　Perhaps　'twas　brought　by　some
  one　in　distress；　And　left　in　pledge　for　loan　my　mother　lent。
  Here　by　a　ribbon　hangs　a　little　key！　I　have　a　mind　to　open　it　and　see！
  Heavens！　only　look！　what　have　we　here！　In　all　my　days　ne'er　saw　I　such　a
  sight！　Jewels！　which　any　noble　dame　might　wear；　For　some　high　pageant
  richly　dight！　This　chain　…　how　would　it　look　on　me！　These　splendid　gems；
  whose　may　they　be？
  （She　puts　them　on　and　steps　before　the　glass。）
  Were　but　the　ear　…　rings　only　mine！　Thus　one　has　quite　another　air。　What
  boots　it　to　be　young　and　fair？　It　doubtless　may　be　very　fine；　But　then；　alas；
  none　cares　for　you；　And　praise　sounds　half　like　pity　too。　Gold　all　doth　lure；
  Gold　doth　secure　All　things。　Alas；　we　poor！
  Promenade　…　Faust　And　Mephistopheles
  Faust　walking　thoughtfully　up　and　down。　To　h