Promenade　…　Faust　And　Mephistopheles
  Faust　walking　thoughtfully　up　and　down。　To　him　Mephistopheles
  Mephistopheles
  By　all　rejected　love！　By　hellish　fire　I　curse；　Would　I　knew　aught　to　make　my
  imprecation　worse！
  Faust
  What　aileth　thee？　what　chafes　thee　now　so　sore？　A　face　like　that　I　never　saw
  before！
  Mephistopheles
  I'd　yield　me　to　the　devil　instantly；　Did　it　not　happen　that　myself　am　he！
  Faust
  There　must　be　some　disorder　in　thy　wit！　To　rave　thus　like　a　madman；　is　it　fit？
  Mephistopheles
  Think！　only　think！　The　gems　for　Gretchen　brought；　Them　hath　a　priest　now
  made　his　own！　A　glimpse　of　them　the　mother　caught；　And　'gan　with　secret
  fear　to　groan。　The　woman's　scent　is　keen　enough；　Doth　ever　in　the　prayer　…
  book　snuff；　Smells　every　article　to　ascertain　Whether　the　thing　is　holy　or
  profane；　And　scented　in　the　jewels　rare；　That　there　was　not　much　blessing
  there。　〃My　child；〃　she　cries；　〃ill　…　gotten　good　Ensnares　the　soul；　consumes　the
  blood；　With　them　we'll　deck　our　Lady's　shrine；　She'll　cheer　our　souls　with
  bread　divine！〃　At　this　poor　Gretchen　'gan　to　pout；　'Tis　a　gift　…　horse；　at　least；
  she　thought；　And　sure；　he　godless　cannot　be；　Who　brought　them　here　so
  cleverly。　Straight　for　a　priest　the　mother　sent；　Who；　when　he　understood　the
  jest；　With　what　he　saw　was　well　content。　〃This　shows　a　pious　mind！〃　Quoth
  he：　〃Self　…　conquest　is　true　victory。　The　Church　hath　a　good　stomach；　she；
  with　zest；　Whole　countries　hath　swallow'd　down；　And　never　yet　a　surfeit
  known。　The　Church　alone；　be　it　confessed；　Daughters；　can　ill　…　got　wealth
  digest。〃
  Faust
  It　is　a　general　custom；　too。　Practised　alike　by　king　and　jew。
  Mephistopheles
  With　that；　clasp；　chain；　and　ring；　he　swept　As　they　were　mushrooms；　and　the
  casket；　Without　one　word　of　thanks；　he　kept；　As　if　of　nuts　it　were　a　basket。
  Promised　reward　in　heaven；　then　forth　he　hied　And　greatly　they　were　edified。
  Faust
  And　Gretchen！
  Mephistopheles
  In　unquiet　mood　Knows　neither　what　she　would　or　should；　The　trinkets　night
  and　day　thinks　o'er；　On　him　who　brought　them；　dwells　still　more。
  Faust
  The　darling's　sorrow　grieves　me；　bring　Another　set　without　delay！　The　first；
  methinks；　was　no　great　thing。
  Mephistopheles
  All's　to　my　gentleman　child's　play！
  Faust
  Plan　all　things　to　achieve　my　end！　Engage　the　attention　of　her　friend！　No　milk
  …　and　…　water　devil　be；　And　bring　fresh　jewels　instantly！
  Mephistopheles
  Ay；　sir！　Most　gladly　I'll　obey。
  （Faust　exit。）
  Mephistopheles
  Your　doting　love　…　sick　fool；　with　ease；　Merely　his　lady　…　love　to　please；　Sun；
  moon；　and　stars　in　sport　would　puff　away。
  （Exit。）
  The　Neighbour's　House　…　Martha；　Margaret　And　Mephistopheles
  Martha　（alone）
  God　pardon　my　dear　husband；　he　Doth　not　in　truth　act　well　by　me！　Forth　in
  the　world　abroad　to　roam；　And　leave　me　on　the　straw　at　home。　And　yet　his
  will　I　ne'er　did　thwart；　God　knows；　I　lov'd　him　from　my　heart。
  （She　weeps。）
  Perchance　he's　dead！　…　oh　wretched　state！　Had　I　but　a　certificate！
  （Margaret　comes）
  Margaret
  Dame　Martha！
  Martha
  Gretchen？
  Margaret
  Only　think！　My　knees　beneath　me　well　…　nigh　sink！　Within　my　press　I've　found
  to　…　day；　Another　case；　of　ebony。　And　things　…　magnificent　they　are；　More
  costly　than　the　first；　by　far。
  Martha
  You　must　not　name　it　to　your　mother！　It　would　to　shrift；　just　like　the　other。
  Margaret
  Nay　look　at　them！　now　only　see！
  Martha　（dresses　her　up）
  Thou　happy　creature！
  Margaret
  Woe　is　me！　Them　in　the　street　I　cannot　wear；　Or　in　the　church；　or　any　where。
  Martha
  Come　often　over　here　to　me；　The　gems　put　on　quite　privately；　And　then
  before　the　mirror　walk　an　hour　or　so；　Thus　we　shall　have　our　pleasure　too。
  Then　suitable　occasions　we　must　seize；　As　at　a　feast；　to　show　them　by
  degrees：　A　chain　at　first；　pearl　ear　…　drops　then；　…　your　mother　Won't　see
  them；　or　we'll　coin　some　tale　or　other。
  Margaret
  But；　who；　I　wonder；　could　the　caskets　bring？　I　fear　there's　something　wrong
  about　the　thing！
  （A　knock。）
  Good　heavens！　can　that　my　mother　be？
  Martha　（peering　through　the　blind）
  'Tis　a　strange　gentleman；　I　see。　Come　in！
  （Mephistopheles　enters）
  Mephistopheles
  I've　ventur'd　to　intrude　to　…　day。　Ladies；　excuse　the　liberty；　I　pray。
  （He　steps　back　respectfully　before　Margaret。）
  After　dame　Martha　Schwerdtlein　I　inquire！
  Martha
  'Tis　I。　Pray　what　have　you　to　say　to　me？
  Mephistopheles　（aside　to　her）
  I　know　you　now；　…　and　therefore　will　retire；　At　present　you've　distinguished
  company。　Pardon　the　freedom；　Madam；　with　your　leave；　I　will　make　free　to
  call　again　at　eve。
  Martha　（aloud）
  Why；　child；　of　all　strange　notions；　he　For　some　grand　lady　taketh　thee！
  Margaret
  I　am；　in　truth；　of　humble　blood　The　gentleman　is　far　too　good　Nor　gems　nor
  trinkets　are　my　own。
  Mephistopheles
  Oh　'tis　not　the　mere　ornaments　alone；　Her　glance　and　mien　far　more　betray。
  Rejoiced　I　am　that　I　may　stay。
  Martha
  Your　business；　Sir？　I　long　to　know
  Mephistopheles
  Would　I　could　happier　tidings　show！　I　trust　mine　errand　you'll　not　let　me　rue；
  Your　husband's　dead；　and　greeteth　you。
  Martha
  Is　dead？　True　heart！　Oh　misery！　My　husband　dead！　Oh；　I　shall　die！
  Margaret
  Alas！　good　Martha！　don't　despair！
  Mephistopheles
  Now　listen　to　the　sad　affair！
  Margaret
  I　for　this　cause　should　fear　to　love。　The　loss　my　certain　death　would　prove。
  Mephistopheles
  Joy　still　must　sorrow；　sorrow　joy　attend。
  Martha
  Proceed；　and　tell　the　story　of　his　end！
  Mephistopheles
  At　Padua；　in　St。　Anthony's；　In　holy　ground　his　body　lies；　Quiet　and　cool　his
  place　of　rest；　With　pious　ceremonials　blest。
  Martha
  And　had　you　naught　besides　to　bring？
  Mephistopheles
  Oh　yes！　one　grave　and　solemn　prayer；　Let　them　for　him　three　hundred　masses
  sing！　But　in　my　pockets；　I　have　nothing　there。
  Martha
  No　trinket！　no　love　…　token　did　he　send！　What　every　journeyman　safe　in　his
  pouch　will　hoard　There　for　remembrance　fondly　stored；　And　rather　hungers；
  rather　begs　than　spend！
  Mephistopheles
  Madam；　in　truth；　it　grieves　me　sore；　But　he　his　gold　not　lavishly　hath　spent。
  His　failings　too　he　deeply　did　repent；　Ay！　and　his　evil　plight　bewail'd　still　more。
  Margaret
  Alas！　That　men　should　thus　be　doomed　to　woe！　I　for　his　soul　will　many　a
  requiem　pray。
  Mephistopheles
  A　husband　you　deserve　this　very　day；　A　child　so　worthy　to　be　loved。
  Margaret
  Ah　no；　That　time　hath　not　yet　come　for　me。
  Mephistopheles
  If　not　a　spouse；　a　gallant　let　it　be。　Among　heaven's　choicest　gifts；　I　place；　So
  sweet　a　darling　to　embrace。
  Margaret
  Our　land　doth　no　such　usage　know。
  Mephistopheles
  Usage　or　not；　it　happens　so。
  Martha
  Go　on；　I　pray！
  Mephistopheles
  I　stood　by　his　bedside。　Something　less　foul　it　was　than　dung；　'Twas　straw　half
  rotten；　yet；　he　as　a　Christian　died。　And　sorely　hath　remorse　his　conscience
  wrung。　〃Wretch　that　I　was；〃　quoth　he；　with　parting　breath；　〃So　to　forsake　my
  business　and　my　wife！　Ah！　the　remembrance　is　my　death；　Could　I　but　have
  her　pardon　in　this　life！〃
  Martha　（weeping）
  Dear　soul！　I've　long　forgiven　him；　indeed！
  Mephistopheles
  〃Though　she；　God　knows；　was　more　to　blame　than　I。〃
  Martha
  He　lied！　What；　on　the　brink　of　death　to　lie！
  Mephistopheles
  If　I　am　skill'd　the　countenance　to　read；　He　doubtless　fabled　as　he　parted
  hence。　〃No　time　had　I　to　gape；　or　take　my　ease；〃　he　said；　〃First　to　get
  children；　and　then　get　them　bread；　And　bread；　too；　in　the　very　widest　sense；
  Nor　could　I　eat　in　peace　even　my　proper　share。〃
  Martha
  What；　all　my　truth；　my　love　forgotten　quite？　My　weary　drudgery　by　day　and
  night！
  Mephistopheles
  Not　so！　He　thought　of　you　with　tender　care。　Quoth　he：　〃Heaven　knows　how
  fervently　I　prayed；　For　wife　and　children　when　from　Malta　bound；　The　prayer
  hath　heaven　with　favour　crowned；　We　took　a　Turkish　vessel　which　conveyed
  Rich　store　of　treasure　for　the　Sultan's　court；　It's　own　reward　our　gallant　action
  brought；　The　captur'd　prize　was　shared　among　the　crew　And　of　the　treasure　I
  received　my　due。〃
  Martha
  How？　Where？　The　treasure　hath　he　buried；　pray？
  Mephistopheles
  Where　the　four　winds　have　blown　it；　who　can　say？　In　Naples　as　he　stroll'd；　a
  stranger　there；　A　comely　maid　took　pity　on　my　friend；　And　gave　such　tokens
  of　her　love　and　care；　That　he　retained　them　to　his　blessed　end。
  Martha
  Scoundrel！　to　rob　his　children　of　their　bread！　And　all　this　misery；　this　bitter
  need；　Could　not　his　course　of　recklessness　impede！
  Mephistopheles
  Well；　he　hath　paid　the　forfeit；　and　is　dead。　Now　were　I　in　your　place；　my
  coun