Part 36

THE WITCH

Wherein, Sirs, can I be of use?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Give us a goblet of the well-known juice! But, I must beg you, of the oldest brewage; The years a double strength produce.

THE WITCH

With all my heart! Now, here’s a bottle, Wherefrom, sometimes, I wet my throttle, Which, also, not the slightest, stinks; And willingly a glass I’ll fill him.

(Whispering)

Yet, if this man without due preparation drinks, As well thou know’st, within an hour ’twill kill him.

MEPHISTOPHELES

He is a friend of mine, with whom it will agree, And he deserves thy kitchen’s best potation: Come, draw thy circle, speak thine adjuration, And fill thy goblet full and free!

THE WITCH

(with fantastic gestures draws a circle and places mysterious articles therein; meanwhile the glasses begin to ring, the caldron to sound, and make a musical accompaniment. Finally she brings a great book, and stations in the circle the Apes, who are obliged to serve as reading-desk, and to hold the torches. She then beckons FAUST to approach.)

FAUST (to MEPHISTOPHELES)

Now, what shall come of this? the creatures antic, The crazy stuff, the gestures frantic,— All the repulsive cheats I view,— Are known to me, and hated, too.

MEPHISTOPHELES

O, nonsense! That’s a thing for laughter; Don’t be so terribly severe! She juggles you as doctor now, that, after, The beverage may work the proper cheer.

(He persuades FAUST to step into the circle.)

THE WITCH

(begins to declaim, with much emphasis, from the book)

See, thus it’s done! Make ten of one, And two let be, Make even three, And rich thou ’It be. Cast o’er the four! From five and six (The witch’s tricks) Make seven and eight, ’Tis finished straight! And nine is one, And ten is none. This is the witch’s once-one’s-one!

FAUST

She talks like one who raves in fever.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Thou’lt hear much more before we leave her. ’Tis all the same: the book I can repeat, Such time I’ve squandered o’er the history: A contradiction thus complete Is always for the wise, no less than fools, a mystery. The art is old and new, for verily All ages have been taught the matter,— By Three and One, and One and Three, Error instead of Truth to scatter. They prate and teach, and no one interferes; All from the fellowship of fools are shrinking. Man usually believes, if only words he hears, That also with them goes material for thinking!

THE WITCH (continues)

The lofty skill Of Science, still From all men deeply hidden! Who takes no thought, To him ’tis brought, ’Tis given unsought, unbidden!

FAUST

What nonsense she declaims before us! My head is nigh to split, I fear: It seems to me as if I hear A hundred thousand fools in chorus.