Gave many a jump of anguish sore;
Soon with the poor beast all was o'er,
As in his body Love he bore.

At last for pain, in open day

The kitchen entered he,

Fell on the hearth, and writhed and lay, And panted piteously.

With laughter did the poisoner roar ; Ah soon, said she, he'll gape no more, As in his body Love he bore.

SIEBEL.

How they rejoice, these fellows rude,
A proper art, it seems to me,
For the poor rats that poison strewed.

BRANDER.

They in your favour seem to be.

ALTMAJER.

The fat man with the pate so bald,
With ill-luck, tame, and mild is he,
In the swollen rat he doth behold

His likeness, like as like can be.

FAUST AND MEPHISTOPHELES.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

I must conduct you, first of all,
Into some jovial company,

To shew how lightly life slips by ;
To these each day's a festival.

With little sense, but plenty still of fun,
Each one doth round his little circle run,

Like kitten hunting its own tail;
And if no headache they bewail,

So long the host will credit give,
Happy, and without care they live.

BRANDER.

Travellers put off their journey these,
As by their curious ways one sees,
Not one hour here they seem to be.

FROSCH.

Thou art right, my Leipzig is the place for me, It is a little Paris-forms its men.

SIEBEL.

For what takest thou the strangers then?

FROSCH.

Let me alone, e're one a bumper drains,
As easy as you'd draw a child's tooth out,
I'll warrant me I'll pick the fellows brains;
Sprigs of nobility I have little doubt,
They've such a proud and discontented air.

BRANDER.

I'll make a bet that mountebanks they are.

ALTMAJER.

Perhaps.

FROSCH.

Attend, I'll trot them out.

MEPHISTOPHELES to Faust.

People like these detect the Devil not

Even when them he has by the collar got.

FAUST.

Good morning, gentlemen.

You in return.

SIEBEL.

Thanks, we salute

Aside, looking askance at Mephistopheles.

How he limps on one foot.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

Is it allowed ourselves with you to set?

Instead of decent wine, which here we cannot get,
Such company may well our hearts content.

ALTMAJER.

Your taste appears extremely delicate.

FROSCH.

From Rippach sure you must have started late; you sup there with Hans* before you went?

Did

MEPHISTOPHELES.

We passed that gentleman to-day,

Had some talk with him on the way;

Of his relations had he much to say,

And bade us, unto each, his compliments convey.

He bows to Frosch.

ALTMAJER, aside.

You've caught it,—he's awake.

SIEBEL.

Wide awake, verily,

FROSCH.

No; wait, I'll be down on him by and by.

Hans von Rippach-a sort of German Duke Humphery.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

If I mistake not, we did hear

In chorus practised voices sing;
Truly from the arched ceiling here,
Music most gloriously must ring.

FROSCH.

An amateur no doubt are you.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

Oh, no! my skill is small, but great is my desire.

ALTMAJER.

Give us a song.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

As many as you require.

SIEBEL.

Only take care that it is spick span new.

MEPHISTOPHELES.

Lately returned from Spain are we,

That beauteous land of wine and minstrelsy.