NIGHT-
STREET
BEFORE GRETCHEN’S DOOR
In
this scene the tragedy gathers momentum as Faust is lured into
slaying Gretchen's (Margaret's)
brother
through the influence of Mephistopheles.. Thus he is trapped into
greater guilt and Margaret into greater despair as Mephistopheles.
reveals his truly destructive influence.
NIGHT
STREET
BEFORE GRETCHEN’S DOOR
VALENTINE
(A SOLDIER, GRETCHEN’S BROTHER)
When
I’d sit at a drinking bout,
Where
many like to boast and shout,
And
my companions burst forth loudly
About
a woman’s beauty; proudly
Washed
down their praises with strong toasts-
I’d
calmly sit and hear their boasts,
My
arm propped on a bench, I knew
I’d
wait till swaggering was through.
I’d
smile and stroke my beard and then,
A
brimming glass held in my hand,
I’d
say- Yes, each to his own, my friend;
But
is there one in this whole land
Who’s
like my Gretel? It's quite plain
None
hold a candle to her flame.
Hear!
Hear! Clink! Clink! It went around;
Then
one would cry- He’s right, she’s best,
She’s
like a pearl above the rest.
Then
boasters sat without a sound.
And
now- I could tear out my hair!
Run
up the wall in my despair!
With
stabbing jeers, nose in the air,
All
rats may taunt without a care!
And
like a debtor I shall sit,
And
each chance word shall make me sweat!
And
though my fists could send them flying,
I
still could not claim they were lying.
Who’s
coming now? Who’s sneaking through?
If
I’m not wrong, now there are two.
If
it is he, I’ll have his hide.
He
shall not leave this place alive.
FAUST
MEPHISTOPHELES
FAUST
How
from the window the eternal flame
Of
Sacristy’s small lamp is flickering;
It
glimmers outwards, ever-weakening,
While
all around a pressing darkness reigns!
My
night-caught heart is just like that.
MEPHISTOPHELES
And
I feel like a slender cat
That
up a fire ladder crawls
And
strokes himself against the walls.
Yes,
here I feel quite virtuous -
A
bit of thief’s delight, a bit of randiness.
Walpurgis
night’s magnificence
Already
spooks through limb and sense.
Two
nights away its dark will break;
Yes,
then you know why you’re awake.
FAUST
But
is the treasure to rise in the air
Which
I see glimmering back there?
MEPHISTOPHELES
You’ll
soon experience the pleasure
Of
lifting up that pot of treasure.
I
took a peep not long ago-
Fine
silver lion-coins all aglow.
FAUST
But
are no jewels there, no ring,
To
decorate my darling girl?
MEPHISTOPHELES
Oh
no, I noticed such a thing,
It
seemed some sort of string of pearls.
FAUST
That’s
good. It pains me if I go
To
her without gifts, as you know.
MEPHISTOPHELES
It
should not bother you to be
Enjoying
something now for free.
Now
that the sky glows full of stars, I’ll bring
A
true art work before her hearing;
I’ll
sing for her a moral thing,
More
surely to entice her feeling.
SINGS
TO THE ZITHER
Why
stand before
Your
loved one’s door,
Oh,
Kathy, for
The
early dawn is burning?
Let
be, be done,
He’ll
let you in,
A
pure one,
But
pure not returning.
Beware,
dears- do!
When
it is through,
Good
night to you,
Good
night, you poor, poor things!
Don’t
come to grief,
Avoid
belief
In
any thief,
Until
you wear his ring!
VALENTINE
(STEPPING FORWARD)
Whom
do you lure? God’s element!
You
damnable rat-catcher, you!
To
hell first with the instrument,
To
hell then with the singer too!
MEPHISTOPHELES
The
zither is in two! There’s nothing left at all.
VALENTINE
And
now for splitting skulls as well.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(TO FAUST)
Good
doctor, don’t give way! Be quick!
Stay
close, and follow on my lead!
So
out now with your mopping stick!
I’ll
parry, you thrust out with speed.
VALENTINE
So
parry then!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Why
not? Most civil!
VALENTINE
And
that!
MEPHISTOPHELES
Delighted!
VALENTINE
Seems
I fight the devil!
What’s
this? My hand’s already lame.
MEPHISTOPHELES
(TO FAUST)
Thrust
home!
VALENTINE
(FALLING)
O
no!
MEPHISTOPHELES
So
now the rascal’s tamed!
But
now let’s vanish! Away at once! Let’s go!
There
rise the murderous cries already. Though
With
mere police I get on famously,
Blood-vengeance
calls don't work for me.
MARTHA
(FROM THE WINDOW)
Come
out! Come out!
GRETCHEN
(FROM THE WINDOW)
Quick,
bring a light!
MARTHA
(AS ABOVE)
They
quarrel, brawl- they shout and fight.
PEOPLE
One’s
dead already- see!
MARTHA
(COMING OUT)
But
which way did the killers run?
GRETCHEN
(COMING OUT)
Who
lies here?
PEOPLE
Your
mother’s son.
GRETCHEN
All-mighty
God! What misery!
VALENTINE
I’m
dying. That’s soon said, you know;
And
sooner still it’s done.
Why
are those women weeping so?
Come,
listen, little one!
(ALL
GATHER AROUND HIM)
Dear
Gretchen, look! you are still young,
Not
bright enough, all said and done,
And
now you’ve gone astray.
I’ll
tell you this in confidence:
You’re
now a whore, so there’s no sense
In
hiding it away.
GRETCHEN
My
brother! God! What do you mean?
VALENTINE
Leave
our Lord God out of this scene!
What’s
done, I'm sad to say is done,
As
things will work out, so they come.
You
start with one, in secrecy,
Then
more will come to join the spree,
And
when a dozen have been down,
You
may as well have all the town.
When
first one’s shame appears,
There
born in secret, far from sight,
One
draws the dark, dark cloak of night
Down
over its rough head and ears;
You’d
like to slay it instantly.
And
yet it grows and it gets bigger,
In
daylight shows its naked figure,
But
grows no prettier to see.
The
uglier its face and way
The
more it seeks the light of day.
And
I can see a time, I think,
When
honest citizens will shrink
From
you, you harlot, as from the touch
Of
an infected corpse’s clutch.
And
when your eyes meet theirs, the pain
Will
cause your heart to faint and falter!
No
more you’ll wear a golden chain!
No
more stand near the holy altar!
Nor
with lace collar, fine and bright,
Take
pleasure at a dance at night!
In
some dark corner’s grief you’ll be
With
beggars and cripples for company;
And
even if God pardons you,
On
earth you’re damned your whole life through!
MARTHA
Command
your soul to God’s good grace!
Why
load such slander on your case?
VALENTINE
Could
I but get you, you withered bag,
You
pimping, pandering, shameless hag!
I’d
hope to find forgiveness then,
In
some good measure for my sins!
GRETCHEN
My
brother! O hell’s agony!
VALENTINE
I
say just this- let crying be!
For
when you let your honour go,
You
gave my heart its hardest blow.
So
through death’s sleep I pass on to
My
God, as soldier, brave and true.
HE
DIES
