FAUST

How so?

MARGARET

The man who comes with thee, I hate,
Yea, in my spirit’s inmost depths abhor;
As his loath’d visage, in my life before,
Naught to my heart e’er gave a pang so great.

FAUST

Him fear not, my sweet love!

MARGARET

His presence chills my blood. 
Toward all beside I have a kindly mood;
Yet, though I yearn to gaze on thee, I feel
At sight of him strange horror o’er me steal;
That he’s a villain my conviction’s strong. 
May Heaven forgive me, if I do him wrong!

FAUST

Yet such strange fellows in the world must be!

MARGARET

I would not live with such an one as he. 
If for a moment he but enter here,
He looks around him with a mocking sneer,
And malice ill-conceal’d;
That he with naught on earth can sympathize is clear;
Upon his brow ’tis legibly revealed
That to his heart no living soul is dear. 
So blest I feel, within thine arms,
So warm and happy—­free from all alarms;
And still my heart doth close when he comes near.

FAUST

Foreboding angel! check thy fear!

MARGARET

It so o’ermasters me that when,
Or wheresoe’er, his step I hear,
I almost think, no more I love thee then. 
Besides, when he is near, I ne’er could pray. 
This eats into my heart; with thee
The same, my Henry, it must be.

FAUST

This is antipathy!

MARGARET

 I must away.

FAUST

For one brief hour then may I never rest,
And heart to heart, and soul to soul be pressed?

MARGARET

Ah, if I slept alone!  Tonight
The bolt I fain would leave undrawn for thee;
But then my mother’s sleep is light,
Were we surprised by her, ah me! 
Upon the spot I should be dead.

FAUST

Dear angel! there’s no cause for dread. 
Here is a little phial—­if she take
Mixed in her drink three drops, ’twill steep
Her nature in a deep and soothing sleep.

MARGARET

What do I not for thy dear sake! 
To her it will not harmful prove?

FAUST

Should I advise it else, sweet love?

MARGARET

I know not, dearest, when thy face I see,
What doth my spirit to thy will constrain;
Already I have done so much for thee,
That scarcely more to do doth now remain. [Exit.]