Part 73

SCEPTIC

The flame they follow, on and on, And think they’re near the treasure: But Devil rhymes with Doubt alone, So I am here with pleasure.

LEADER OF THE BAND

Frog in green, and cricket-trill. Such dilettants!—perdition! Fly-snout and mosquito-bill,— Each one’s a fine musician!

THE ADROIT

Sans souci, we call the clan Of merry creatures so, then; Go a-foot no more we can, And on our heads we go, then.

THE AWKWARD

Once many a bit we sponged, but now, God help us! that is done with: Our shoes are all danced out, we trow, We’ve but naked soles to run with.

WILL-O’-THE WISPS

From the marshes we appear, Where we originated; Yet in the ranks, at once, we’re here As glittering gallants rated.

SHOOTING-STAR

Darting hither from the sky, In star and fire light shooting, Cross-wise now in grass I lie: Who’ll help me to my footing?

THE HEAVY FELLOWS

Room! and round about us, room! Trodden are the grasses: Spirits also, spirits come, And they are bulky masses.

PUCK

Enter not so stall-fed quite, Like elephant-calves about one! And the heaviest weight to-night Be Puck, himself, the stout one!

ARIEL

If loving Nature at your back, Or Mind, the wings uncloses, Follow up my airy track To the mount of roses!

ORCHESTRA

pianissimo Cloud and trailing mist o’erhead Are now illuminated: Air in leaves, and wind in reed, And all is dissipated.

XXIII

DREARY DAY

A FIELD

FAUST MEPHISTOPHELES

FAUST

In misery! In despair! Long wretchedly astray on the face of the earth, and now imprisoned! That gracious, ill-starred creature shut in a dungeon as a criminal, and given up to fearful torments! To this has it come! to this!—Treacherous, contemptible spirit, and thou hast concealed it from me!—Stand, then,—stand! Roll the devilish eyes wrathfully in thy head! Stand and defy me with thine intolerable presence! Imprisoned! In irretrievable misery! Delivered up to evil spirits, and to condemning, unfeeling Man! And thou hast lulled me, meanwhile, with the most insipid dissipations, hast concealed from me her increasing wretchedness, and suffered her to go helplessly to ruin! [Illustration: Roll the devilish eyes wrathfully in thy head]

MEPHISTOPHELES

She is not the first.