Faust.  And must I leave thee then?  Farewell!

Martha.  Ade!

Margaret.  Till, soon, we meet again!

       [Exeunt FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES.]

Margaret.  Good heavens! what such a man’s one brain
Can in itself alone contain! 
I blush my rudeness to confess,
And answer all he says with yes. 
Am a poor, ignorant child, don’t see
What he can possibly find in me.

      [Exit.]

      WOODS AND CAVERN.

Faust [alone].  Spirit sublime, thou gav’st me, gav’st me all
For which I prayed.  Thou didst not lift in vain
Thy face upon me in a flame of fire. 
Gav’st me majestic nature for a realm,
The power to feel, enjoy her.  Not alone
A freezing, formal visit didst thou grant;
Deep down into her breast invitedst me
To look, as if she were a bosom-friend. 
The series of animated things
Thou bidst pass by me, teaching me to know
My brothers in the waters, woods, and air. 
And when the storm-swept forest creaks and groans,
The giant pine-tree crashes, rending off
The neighboring boughs and limbs, and with deep roar
The thundering mountain echoes to its fall,
To a safe cavern then thou leadest me,
Showst me myself; and my own bosom’s deep
Mysterious wonders open on my view. 
And when before my sight the moon comes up
With soft effulgence; from the walls of rock,
From the damp thicket, slowly float around
The silvery shadows of a world gone by,
And temper meditation’s sterner joy. 
  O! nothing perfect is vouchsafed to man: 
I feel it now!  Attendant on this bliss,
Which brings me ever nearer to the Gods,
Thou gav’st me the companion, whom I now
No more can spare, though cold and insolent;
He makes me hate, despise myself, and turns
Thy gifts to nothing with a word—­a breath. 
He kindles up a wild-fire in my breast,
Of restless longing for that lovely form. 
Thus from desire I hurry to enjoyment,
And in enjoyment languish for desire.

      Enter MEPHISTOPHELES.

Mephistopheles.  Will not this life have tired you by and bye? 
I wonder it so long delights you? 
’Tis well enough for once the thing to try;
Then off to where a new invites you!

Faust.  Would thou hadst something else to do, That thus to spoil my joy thou burnest.

Mephistopheles.  Well! well!  I’ll leave thee, gladly too!—­
Thou dar’st not tell me that in earnest! 
’Twere no great loss, a fellow such as you,
So crazy, snappish, and uncivil. 
One has, all day, his hands full, and more too;
To worm out from him what he’d have one do,
Or not do, puzzles e’en the very devil.

Faust.  Now, that I like!  That’s just the tone!  Wants thanks for boring me till I’m half dead!