Part 71

MARGARET (hiding her face in the bed of straw)

Woe! woe! they come! oh bitter 'tis to die!

FAUST (softly)

Hush! hush! be still! I come to set thee free!

MARGARET (throwing herself at his feet)

If thou art human, feel my misery!

FAUST

Thou wilt awake the jailor with thy cry! (He grasps the chains to unlock them.)

MARGARET (on her knees)

Who, headsman, unto thee this power O'er me could give? Thou com'st for me at midnight-hour. Be merciful, and let me live! Is morrow's dawn not time enough? (She stands up.)

I'm still so young, so young-- And must so early die! Fair was I too, and that was my undoing. My love is now afar, he then was nigh; Torn lies the garland, the fair blossoms strew'd. Nay, seize me not with hand so rude! Spare me! What harm have I e'er done to thee? Oh let me not in vain implore! I ne'er have seen thee in my life before!

FAUST Can I endure this bitter agony?

MARGARET

I now am at thy mercy quite. Let me my babe but suckle once again! I fondled it the live-long night; They took it from me but to give me pain, And now, they say that I my child have slain. Gladness I ne'er again shall know. Then they sing songs about me,--'tis wicked of the throng-- An ancient ballad endeth so; Who bade them thus apply the song?

FAUST (throwing himself on the ground)

A lover at thy feet bends low, To loose the bonds of wretchedness and woe.

MARGARET (throws herself beside him)

Oh, let us kneel and move the saints by prayer! Look! look! yon stairs below, Under the threshold there, Hell's flames are all aglow! Beneath the floor, With hideous noise, The devils roar!

FAUST (aloud)

Gretchen! Gretchen!

MARGARET (listening)

That was my lov'd one's voice! (She springs up, the chains fall off.)

Where is he? I heard him calling me. Free am I! There's none shall hinder me. To his neck will I fly, On his bosom will lie!

Gretchen, he called!-- On yon threshold he stood; Amidst all the howling of hell's fiery flood, The scoff and the scorn of its devilish crew, The tones of his voice, sweet and loving, I knew.

FAUST

'Tis I!

MARGARET

'Tis thou! O say so once again! (embracing him.)