Martha [weeping].  The dear good man! he has been long forgiven.

Mephistopheles.  “But God knows, I was less to blame than she.”

Martha.  A lie!  And at death’s door! abominable!

Mephistopheles.  If I to judge of men half-way am able,
He surely fibbed while passing hence. 
“Ways to kill time, (he said)—­be sure, I did not need them;
First to get children—­and then bread to feed them,
And bread, too, in the widest sense,
And even to eat my bit in peace could not be thought on.”

Martha.  Has he all faithfulness, all love, so far forgotten, The drudgery by day and night!

Mephistopheles.  Not so, he thought of you with all his might. 
He said:  “When I from Malta went away,
For wife and children my warm prayers ascended;
And Heaven so far our cause befriended,
Our ship a Turkish cruiser took one day,
Which for the mighty Sultan bore a treasure. 
Then valor got its well-earned pay,
And I too, who received but my just measure,
A goodly portion bore away.”

Martha.  How?  Where?  And he has left it somewhere buried?

Mephistopheles.  Who knows which way by the four winds ’twas carried? 
He chanced to take a pretty damsel’s eye,
As, a strange sailor, he through Naples jaunted;
All that she did for him so tenderly,
E’en to his blessed end the poor man haunted.

Martha.  The scamp! his children thus to plunder! 
And could not all his troubles sore
Arrest his vile career, I wonder?

Mephistopheles.  But mark! his death wipes off the score. 
Were I in your place now, good lady;
One year I’d mourn him piously
And look about, meanwhiles, for a new flame already.

Martha.  Ah, God! another such as he
I may not find with ease on this side heaven! 
Few such kind fools as this dear spouse of mine. 
Only to roving he was too much given,
And foreign women and foreign wine,
And that accursed game of dice.

Mephistopheles.  Mere trifles these; you need not heed ’em,
If he, on his part, not o’er-nice,
Winked at, in you, an occasional freedom. 
I swear, on that condition, too,
I would, myself, ’change rings with you!

Martha.  The gentleman is pleased to jest now!

Mephistopheles [aside].  I see it’s now high time I stirred! 
She’d take the very devil at his word.
      [To MARGERY.]
How is it with your heart, my best, now?

Margaret.  What means the gentleman?

Mephistopheles. [aside].  Thou innocent young heart!
       [Aloud.]
Ladies, farewell!

Margaret.  Farewell!

Martha.  But quick, before we part!—­
I’d like some witness, vouching truly
Where, how and when my love died and was buried duly. 
I’ve always paid to order great attention,
Would of his death read some newspaper mention.