Woe! woe! Thy lips are cold,– Are dumb! Thy love where hast thou left?
Who bath me of thy love bereft?
(She turns away from him.)
FAUST
Come! Follow me, my dearest love, be bold! I’ll cherish thee with ardour thousand-fold; I but entreat thee now to follow me!
MARGARET
(turning towards him)
And art thou he? and art thou really he?
FAUST
‘Tis I! O come!
MARGARET
Thou wilt strike off my chain,
And thou wilt take me to thine arms again. How comes it that thou dost not shrink from me?– And dost thou know, love, whom thou wouldst set free?
FAUST
Come! come! already night begins to wane.
MARGARET
I sent my mother to her grave,
I drown’d my child beneath the wave. Was it not given to thee and me–thee too? ‘Tis thou thyself! I scarce believe it yet. Give me thy hand! It is no dream! ‘Tis true! Thine own dear hand!–But how is this? ‘Tis wet? Quick, wipe it off! Meseems that yet
There’s blood thereon.
Ah God! what hast thou done?
Put up thy sword, I beg of thee!
FAUST
Oh, dearest, let the past forgotten be! Death is in every word.
MARGARET
No, thou must linger here in sorrow!
The graves I will describe to thee, And thou to them must see
To-morrow:
The best place give to my mother,
Close at her side my brother,
Me at some distance lay–
But not too far away!
And the little one place on my right breast. Nobody else will near me lie!
To nestle beside thee so lovingly,
That was a rapture, gracious and sweet! A rapture I never again shall prove;
Methinks I would force myself on thee, love, And thou dost spurn me, and back retreat– Yet ’tis thyself, thy fond kind looks I see.
FAUST
If thou dost feel ’tis I, then come with me!
MARGARET
What, there? without?
FAUST
Yes, forth in the free air.
MARGARET
Ay, if the grave’s without,–
If death lurk there!
Hence to the everlasting resting-place, And not one step beyond!–
Thou’rt leaving me?
Oh Henry! would that I could go with thee!
FAUST
Thou canst! But will it!
Open stands the door.
MARGARET
I dare not go! I’ve naught to hope for more. What boots it to escape? They lurk for me! ‘Tis wretched to beg, as I must do,
And with an evil conscience thereto! ‘Tis wretched, in foreign lands to stray. And me they will catch, do what I may.
FAUST
With thee will I abide.
MARGARET
Quick! Quick!
Save thy poor child!
Keep to the path
The brook along,
Over the bridge
To the wood beyond,
To the left, where the plank is,
In the pond.
Seize it at once!
It fain would rise,
It struggles still!
Save it. Oh save!
FAUST
Dear Gretchen, more collected be!
One little step, and thou art free!
MARGARET
Were we but only past the hill!
There sits my mother upon a stone– My brain, alas, is cold with dread!–
There sits my mother upon a stone,
And to and fro she shakes her head; She winks not, she nods not, her head it droops sore; She slept so long, she waked no more;
She slept, that we might taste of bliss: Ah! those were happy times, I wis!
FAUST
Since here avails nor argument nor prayer, Thee hence by force I needs must bear.
MARGARET
Loose me! I will not suffer violence! With murderous hand hold not so fast!
I have done all to please thee in the past!
FAUST
Day dawns! My love! My love!
MARGARET
Yes! day draws near.
The day of judgment too will soon appear! It should have been my bridal! No one tell, That thy poor Gretchen thou hast known too well. Woe to my garland!
Its bloom is o’er!
Though not at the dance–
We shall meet once more.
The crowd doth gather, in silence it rolls; The squares, the streets,
Scarce hold the throng.
The staff is broken,–the death-bell tolls,– They bind and seize me!
I’m hurried along,
To the seat of blood already I’m bound! Quivers each neck as the naked steel
Quivers on mine the blow to deal–
The silence of the grave now broods around!
FAUST
Would I had never been born!
MEPHISTOPHELES (appears without)
Up! or you’re lost.
Vain hesitation! Babbling, quaking! My steeds are shivering,
Morn is breaking.
MARGARET
What from the floor ascendeth like a ghost? ‘Tis he! ‘Tis he! Him from my presence chase! What would he in this holy place?
It is for me he cometh!
FAUST
Thou shalt live!
MARGARET
Judgment of God! To thee my soul I give!
MEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)
Come, come! With her I’ll else abandon thee!
MARGARET
Father, I’m thine! Do thou deliver me! Ye angels! Ye angelic hosts! descend,
Encamp around to guard me and defend!– Henry! I shudder now to look on thee!
MEPHISTOPHELES
She now is judged!
VOICES (from above)
Is saved!
MEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)
Come thou with me!
(Vanishes with FAUST)
VOICE (from within, dying away)
Henry! Henry!