_Gret._ Think not of me--thy wrong to me is naught-- Thy wrong to injured Heaven is all in all! Go, make thy peace with her while yet thou mayst. In the rich plenitude of her great heart Thy Bride may pardon thee! Oh, Faustus, Faustus! Thou lovest my body, and I love thy soul! Oh, be thou brave as I! If I can go From the enduring heaven of thy love To shame and misery unspeakable, Canst thou not yield such mortal heart as mine, For the pure love of an eternal Bride? _Faus._ Too late--my love for thee is all-supreme-- And while thou livest, as Heaven hears me now, I’ll leave thee not! _Gret._ Faustus, be not deceived. I love thee with my heart--my heart of hearts-- My very death prayer shall be breathed for thee; But, though it rend my heart to keep my vow, As there is pardon for a penitent, I will not meet thine eyes on earth again! Nay, touch me not! God pardon thee! Farewell! [_Exit._ _Faus._ My doom is spoken and I bow my head. So, Gretchen, let it be! At thy just bidding I go to death in life. There is a tomb In which a living, loving man may bury All but his aching heart. I go to it! _MEPHISTO has entered and overheard this._ _Meph._ Why, how is this? does not the good work prosper? Come, come, take heart--’tis but a summer storm-- A day, alone, will bring her to her senses. _Faus._ Fiend, I renounce thee! Give me back myself. Let me go hence; our bond is at an end! _Meph._ Nay, that’s ungenerous--it is indeed. You are a Churchman--my profound respect For all your cloth induced me to forego The customary writing. Satisfied That I was dealing with a holy man, I asked no bond--I trusted to your honour. And now, to take advantage of my weakness, And turn my much--misplaced credulity Against myself--nay, ’tis unworthy of you! _Faus._ Poor mocker, hold thy peace--let me go hence, Back to my cloister, back to the old blank life! My eyes are open and I see the gulf, The broad, black gulf, deep as the nether hell, To which thou leadest me! Release thy grasp-- My heart is changed. Thou hast no hold on me-- Accursed of God--our bond is at an end! (_Breaks from him and rushes into the church._)