Over me could give? Thou'rt come for me at midnight hour: Have mercy on me; let me live! Is't not soon enough when morning chime has rung? [She rises. And I am yet so young, so young! And now death comes, and ruin! I, too, was fair, and that was my undoing. My love was near, but now he's far; Torn lies the wreath, scattered the blossoms are. Seize me not thus so violently! Spare me! What have I done to thee? Let me not vainly entreat thee! I never chanced, in all my days, to meet thee! FAUST Shall I outlive this misery? MARGARET Now am I wholly in thy might. But let me suckle, first, my baby! I blissed it all this livelong night; They took 't away, to vex me, maybe, And now they say I killed the child outright. And never shall I be glad again. They sing songs about me! 'tis bad of the folk to do it! There's an old story has the same refrain; Who bade them so construe it? FAUST [falling upon his knees] Here lieth one who loves thee ever, The thraldom of thy woe to sever. [Pg 6408] MARGARET [flinging herself beside him] Oh let us kneel, and call the saints to hide us! Under the steps beside us, The threshold under, Hell heaves in thunder! The Evil One With terrible wrath Seeketh a path His prey to discover! FAUST [aloud] Margaret! Margaret! MARGARET [attentively listening] That was the voice of my lover! [She springs to her feet: the fetters fall off. Where is he? I heard him call me. I am free! No one shall enthrall me. To his neck will I fly, On his bosom lie! On the threshold he stood, and Margaret! calling, 'Midst of hell's howling and noises appalling, 'Midst of the wrathful, infernal derision, I knew the sweet sound of the voice of the vision! FAUST 'Tis I! MARGARET 'Tis thou! O, say it once again! [Clasping him. 'Tis he! 'tis he! Where now is all my pain? The anguish of the dungeon, and the chain? 'Tis thou! Thou comest to save me, And I am saved! Again the street I see Where first I looked on thee; And the garden, brightly blooming, Where I and Martha wait thy coming. FAUST [struggling to leave] Come! Come with me! FAUST AND MARGARET IN PRISON. Photogravure from a Drawing by A. Leisen-Mayer. [Pg 6409] MARGARET Delay, now! So fain I stay, when thou delayest! [Caressing him. FAUST Away, now! If longer here thou stayest, We shall be made to dearly rue it. MARGARET Kiss me!—canst no longer do it? My friend, so short a time thou 'rt missing, And hast unlearned thy kissing? Why is my heart so anxious, on thy breast? Where once a heaven thy glances did create me, A heaven thy loving words expressed, And thou didst kiss as thou wouldst suffocate me— Kiss me! Or I'll kiss thee! [She embraces him. Ah, woe! thy lips are chill, And still. How changed in fashion Thy passion! Who has done me this ill? [She turns away from him. FAUST Come, follow me! My darling, be more bold: