Part 62

Stay! stay!

VOICE (from above)

What voice of woe Calls from the cavern'd depths below?

VOICE (from below)

Take me with you! Oh take me too! Three centuries I climb in vain, And yet can ne'er the summit gain! To be with my kindred I am fain.

BOTH CHORUSES

Broom and pitch-fork, goat and prong, Mounted on these we whirl along; Who vainly strives to climb to-night, Is evermore a luckless wight!

DEMI-WITCH (below)

I hobble after, many a day; Already the others are far away!

No rest at home can I obtain-- Here too my efforts are in vain!

CHORUS OF WITCHES

Salve gives the witches strength to rise; A rag for a sail does well enough; A goodly ship is every trough; To-night who flies not, never flies.

BOTH CHORUSES

And when the topmost peak we round, Then alight ye on the ground; The heath's wide regions cover ye With your mad swarms of witchery! (They let themselves down.)

MEPHISTOPHELES

They crowd and jostle, whirl and flutter! They whisper, babble, twirl, and splutter! They glimmer, sparkle, stink and flare-- A true witch-element! Beware! Stick close! else we shall severed be. Where art thou?

FAUST (in the distance)

Here!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Already, whirl'd so far away! The master then indeed I needs must play. Give ground! Squire Voland comes! Sweet folk, give ground! Here, doctor, grasp me! With a single bound Let us escape this ceaseless jar; Even for me too mad these people are. Hard by there shineth something with peculiar glare, Yon brake allureth me; it is not far; Come, come along with me! we'll slip in there.

FAUST

Spirit of contradiction! Lead! I'll follow straight! 'Twas wisely done, however, to repair On May-night to the Brocken, and when there By our own choice ourselves to isolate!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Murk, of those flames the motley glare! A merry club assembles there. In a small circle one is not alone,

FAUST

I'd rather be above, though, I must own! Already fire and eddying smoke I view; The impetuous millions to the devil ride; Full many a riddle will be there untied.

MEPHISTOPHELES

Ay! and full many a riddle tied anew. But let the great world rave and riot! Here will we house ourselves in quiet. A custom 'tis of ancient date, Our lesser worlds within the great world to create! Young witches there I see, naked and bare, And old ones, veil'd more prudently. For my sake only courteous be! The trouble's small, the sport is rare. Of instruments I hear the cursed din-- One must get used to it. Come in! come in! There's now no help for it. I'll step before And introducing you as my good friend, Confer on you one obligation more. How say you now? 'Tis no such paltry room Why only look, you scarce can see the end. A hundred fires in rows disperse the gloom; They dance, they talk, they cook, make love, and drink: Where could we find aught better, do you think?