MARTHA’S GARDEN
MARGARET, FAUST
MARGARET
Now promise, Heinrich!
FAUST
All I can!
MARGARET
Tell me, how do you rate religion's role?
Though truly you're a true, good man,
I feel it's not held highly in your soul.
FAUST
You feel I'm good to you.. Leave it, my
dove.
I'd lay down flesh and blood for those I love.
Nor would I steal faith, church and feeling's weave.
MARGARET
That isn't right. You must believe!
FAUST
Must you?
MARGARET
I wish my words could sway
events.
You do not honour holy sacraments.
FAUST
I honour them.
MARGARET
Without the wish.
It’s long since you’ve attended confession or a
mass.
Do you believe in God?
FAUST
My dear one, who
may say:
I believe in God?
The wise or those of priestly way
Reply but seem to wield scorn’s rod
On those who ask them.
MARGARET
So you’re not
believing?
FAUST
Fairest one, do not mistake my meaning!
For who may name
Him? Who proclaim-
I believe in Him?
Who feels they’d dare,
Without a care,
Say- I do not believe?
The All-Encompasser,
The All-Sustainer,
Does he not sustain, encompass,
You, me. Himself?
Does not the sky arch overhead?
Is not the earth so firm beneath?
Do
not the friendly-gazing,
Eternal
stars still glide above us?
Do
I not gaze into your eyes?
And
does not all arise
Towards
head and heart and weave
In
everlasting mysteries,
Invisible
visible, by your side?
Then fill your heart till it is full of this,
And when the feeling fills you fully with its bliss,
Then call it what you wish-
Heart’s happiness, or love, or God!
I haven’t any names
For it! The feeling is all;
Names are sound and smoke,
A mist on heaven’s glow.
MARGARET
That’s well and good; the preacher spoke
In somewhat likewise ways, although
His words just had a slightly different air.
FAUST
It’s spoken everywhere-
By all the hearts beneath fair heaven’s day,
Each in its own good way;
So why not I in mine?
MARGARET
When I hear you say it, all seems fine,
And yet it will not stand up for I see
That you've no Christianity.
FAUST
Dear one!
MARGARET
It’s long made my heart ache
To see the sort of friends you make.
FAUST
How’s that?
MARGARET
The man you always have with
you.
I hate within my inmost soul. It’s true
That nothing, not in all my days,
Has stabbed my heart so as the gaze
As the most unpleasant features of that man.
FAUST
Oh do not fear him, dearest one.
MARGARET
His presence stirs my heart’s distaste.
Towards others I have all good will;
However much I long to see you, still
I sense a secret horror when I’m faced
With him; I see him as a villain too!
God pardon me, if it’s untrue!
FAUST
The world must have its odd ones too.
MARGARET
I cannot live with those like him.
You know, whenever he comes in,
He looks round with a mocking grin,
Half-threatening.
He shows no sympathy towards anything;
It’s written on his brow- in whole
That he can’t love another soul.
Within your arms all’s well with me,
So very, very warm, so free,
But he just makes me freeze inside right through.
FAUST
You dear, foreboding angel, you!
MARGARET
It overwhelms me so
That if he merely comes our way
I even think I don't love you. I know
That when he’s near I can no longer pray-
That eats into my heart. But you.
You, Heinrich, you must feel it too.
FAUST
You just feel some antipathy!
MARGARET
I must go now.
FAUST
Oh, can I never be
For one short hour at peace upon your breast,
With heart to heart and soul to soul close-pressed?
MARGARET
Oh! if I only slept alone!
I’d gladly leave the bolt unlocked tonight;
My mother stirs at any tone,
If she surprised our soul’s delight,
I’d probably die on the spot!
FAUST
You angel, you; no need- fear not.
Here is a little flask! Just drip
Three droplets in her drink to make
A deep and nature-pleasing sleep.
MARGARET
What would I not do for your sake?
She won’t be harmed in any sense?
FAUST
Would I advise, dear, were it thus?
MARGARET
I don't know why...if I just look on you,
My best of men, I'm drawn to want your will.
I've done so much already that I feel
There's little that remains for me to do.
(SHE EXITS)
(MEPHISTOPHELES ENTERS)
MEPHISTOPHELES
The little monkey! Has she gone?
FAUST
So then,
again, you spied?
MEPHISTOPHELES
I overheard it all, right through.
Just then, my Doctor, you were catechized.
I hope it will do good to you.
It interests the women to surmise
If one is pious, plain in faith’s old way.
They think, “He bows down there, so he’ll do what we
say.”
FAUST
You do not see, you monstrous cur,
How this most true and loving soul,
Filled with her faith that’s just
Alone for her
The true salvation, trembles so to hold
The man that she most loves to be completely lost.
MEPHISTOPHELES
You super-sensual sensual suitor,
A young girl leads you by the nose.
FAUST
You filth- and flame-born freak of nature!
MEPHISTOPHELES
A masterly grasp of physiognomy she shows.
My presence worries her, she knows not why it’s thus,
This mask of mine hints at a hidden evil;
She feels that I’m some wicked genius,
Perhaps, indeed, the very devil.
Well, now- tonight-?
FAUST
What’s it to
you?
MEPHISTOPHELES
I get my pleasure from it too.
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