GARDEN. MARGARET on FAUST's arm, MARTHA with MEPHISTOPHELES, walking up and down. MARGARET. I am sure that you are only trifling with me-letting yourself down to shame me. Travellers are wont to put up with things out of complacency. I know too well that my poor prattle cannot entertain a man of your experience. FAUST. A glance, a word from thee, gives greater pleasure than all the wisdom of this world. (He kisses her hand.) MARGARET. Don't inconvenience yourself! How can you kiss it? It is so coarse, so hard. I have been obliged to do-heaven knows what not; my mother is indeed too (They pass on.) exact. MARTHA. And you, Sir, are always travelling in this manner? MEPHISTOPHEeles. Alas, that business and duty should force us to it! How many a place one quits with regret, and yet may not tarry in it! MARTHA. It does very well in the wild years of youth to rove about freely through the world. But the evil day comes at last, and to sneak a solitary old bachelor to the grave—that was never well for any one yet. MEPHISTOPHEles. I shudder at the distant view of it. MARTHA. Then, worthy Sir, think better of it in time. MARGARET. (They pass on.) Aye! out of sight out of mind! Politeness sits easily on you. But you have friends in abundance: they are more sensible than I am. FAUST. O, thou excellent creature; believe me, what is called sensible, often better deserves the name of vanity and narrow-mindedness. How? MARGARET. FAUST. Alas, that simplicity, that innocence, never appreciates itself and its own hallowed worth? That humility, lowliness-the highest gifts of love-fraught bounteous nature MARGARET. Only think of me one little minute; I shall have time enough to think of you. Yes, our household is but small, and yet it must be looked after. We keep no maid; I am obliged to cook, sweep, knit and sew, and run early and late. And my mother is so precise in every thing! Not that she has such pressing occasion to restrict herself. We might do more than many others. My father left a nice little property, a small house and garden near the town. However, my days at present are tolerably quiet. My brother is a soldier; my little sister is dead. I had my full share of trouble with her, but I would gladly take all the anxiety upon myself again, so dear was the child to me. FAUST. An angel, if it resembled thee! MARGARET. I brought it up, and it loved me dearly. It was born after my father's death. We gave up my mother for lost, so sad was the condition she then lay in; and she recovered very slowly, by degrees. Thus she could not think of suckling the poor little worm, and so I brought it up, all by myself, with milk and water. It thus became my own. On my arm, in my bosom, it smiled, and sprawled, and grew. FAUST. You have felt, no doubt, the purest joy. MARGARET. And many anxious hours, too. The little one's cradle stood at night by my bed-side: it could scarcely move but I was awake; now obliged to give it suck; now to take it to bed to me; now, when it would not be quiet, to rise from bed, and walk up and down in the room dandling it; and early in the morning, stand already at the wash-tub: then go to market and see to the house; and so on, day after day. such circumstances, Sir, the spirits are not uniformly good; but food and rest relish the better for it. Under MARTHA. (They pass on.) The poor women have the worst of it. An old bachelor is hard to convert.. MEPHISTOPHeles. It only depends on one like you to teach me better. MARTHA. Tell me plainly, Sir, have you never met with any one? Has your heart never attached itself any where? MEPHISTOPHEles. The proverb says-a hearth of one's own, and a good wife, are as good as pearls and gold. MARTHA. I mean, have you never had an inclination ? MEPHISTOPHELes. I have been in general very politely received. MARTHA. I wished to say-was your heart never seriously affected? MEPHISTOPHE One should never venture to joke with women. MARTHA. Ah, you do not understand me. MEPHISTOPHELES. I am heartily sorry for it. But I understand-that you are very kind. FAUST. (They pass on.) You knew me again, you little angel, the moment I entered the garden? MARGARET. Did you not see it? I cast down my eyes. FAUST. And you forgive the liberty I took-my boldness as you were leaving the cathedral. MARGARET. I was struck all of a heap. Such a thing had never happened to me before; no one could say any thing bad of me. Alas, thought I, has he seen anything bold, K |