Margaret. Our household is but small, I own, And yet must be attended to. We keep no maid; I have the whole to do, Must wash and brush, and sew and knit, And cook, and early run and late; And then my mother is, in every whit, So accurate! Not that she needs to pinch her household; we Might do much more than many others do: My father left a goodly sum, quite free From debt, with a neat house and garden too, Close by the town, just as you pass the gate; But we have lived retired enough of late. My brother is a soldier: he Is at the wars: my little sister's dead: Poor thing! it caused me many an hour of pain To see it pine, and droop its little head, But gladly would I suffer all again, So much I loved the child! Faust. An angel, if like thee! Margaret. I nursed it, and it loved me heartily. My father died before it saw the light, My mother was despaired of quite, So miserably weak she lay. Yet she recovered slowly, day by day; And as she had not strength herself To suckle the poor helpless elf, She gave't in charge to me, and I With milk and water nursed it carefully. Thus in my arm, and on my lap, it grew, And smiled and crowed, and flung its legs about, And called me mother too. Faust. To thy pure heart the purest joy, no doubt. Margaret. Ay! but full many an hour Heavy with sorrow, and with labor sour. The infant's cradle stood beside My bed, and when it stirred or cried, I must awake; Sometimes to give it drink, sometimes to take It with me to my bed, and fondle it: And when all this its fretting might not stay, I rose, and danced about, and dandled it; And after that I must away To wash the clothes by break of day. I make the markets too, and keep house for my mother, One weary day just like another; Thus drudging on, the day might lack delights, But food went lightly down, and sleep was sweet o' nights. [_They pass on._ Martha. A woman's case is not much to be vaunted; A hardened bachelor is hard to mend. Mephistopheles. A few apostles such as you were wanted, From evil ways their vagrant steps to bend. Martha. Speak plainly, sir, have you found nothing yet? Are you quite disentangled from the net? Mephistopheles. A house and hearth, we have been often told, With a good wife, is worth its weight in gold. Martha. I mean, sir, have you never felt the want? Mephistopheles. A good reception I have always found. Martha. I mean to say, did your heart never pant? Mephistopheles. For ladies my respect is too profound To jest on such a serious theme as this. Martha. My meaning still you strangely miss! Mephistopheles. Alas, that I should be so blind! One thing I plainly see, that you are very kind! [_They pass on._