B00ARI2G5C EBOK (42 page)

’Twas built with pickaxe and with spade,

And for such a guest ’tis meet.

A LEMUR
[
sob]
.

Who furnished it so ill, who took

The table and chairs away?

LEMURS
[in chorus].

Not yours to own, ’twas all on loan,

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The creditors came today.

MEPHISTOPHELES
. The body’s down, the spirit 111 soon fix,

I’ll show him his own blood-scribed document
*
—

Yet souls come hard these days, their friends invent

Loopholes, and try to play the Devil tricks.

Our older methods gave offence,

Our new ones don’t commend us greatly;

I used to do it all myself, but lately

I’ve had to send for adjutants.

Things are no longer what they were!

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Traditional custom, the old rules inspire

No confidence now; there’s nothing one can trust.

In former times a man would breathe his last,

Out popped the soul as quick as any mouse,

And snap! my waiting claws would close on it.

But nowadays it hesitates to quit

The gloomy corpse, its dark disgusting house;

Till in the end the elements at strife

Drive out the wretched scrap of life.

I rack my brains about it night and day:

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When, how
, and
where
’s the question—who can say?

Old Death has lost his old decisive style;

Even the
whether
’s doubtful a long while.

Often I’ve watched stiff limbs with lustful eyes—

Sham-dead again! They twitch and squirm and rise.

[
He makes fantastic summoning gestures, like a flank-man drilling troops
.]

Come on then, at the double now, my friends,

Straight-horns and crooked-horns! Good solid fiends

Of the old school. And bring the jaws of hell,

Please, gentlemen, along with you as well!

Hell has a multiplicity of jaws, it’s true,

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And swallows up by rank and by degree;

Although in future those rules too

Will be relaxed, presumably.

[
The frightful jaws of hell open up on the left
.]

The fangs gape; through the arching orifice

Hell’s maw spews up a fiery ocean,

And in the seething murk of the abyss

I see the Infernal City’s ceaseless conflagration.

The red surf surges to the teeth: ‘At last’,

Think damned souls, swimming up, ‘here’s rescue!’ But the vast

Hyena-crunch reclaims them; with dismay

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They must pursue their incandescent way.

Amusing those odd corners look as well;

What horrors a small area can contain!

It’s supposed to scare sinners; they remain,

However, total sceptics about hell.

[
To the fat devils with short straight horns
.]

Now, you pot-bellied red-faced rascals, you!

How fat you are! Hot brimstone in your guts,

No doubt; you stiff-necked lumps, you no-necked clots!

Watch here for a sudden phosphorescent glow:

It’s called the soul, ‘Psyche’—pull off its wings!

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Without them, souls are nasty worm-like things.

I’ll stamp it with my seal; off with it then

Into the fire-storm!

You, the gentlemen

Resembling bladders, guard his lower parts!

Don’t let our prey squeeze out there—we don’t know

Exactly, but it might live where he farts;

Perhaps its whimsy takes it to do so—

Or in the navel maybe; that’s a place

It likes. Watch that, or you’ll be in disgrace!

[
To the thin devils with long crooked horns
.]

You, flanking giants, you tall gangling fools,

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Snatch at the air—keep practising, and keep

Your arms straight! Spread your claws, they’re good sharp tools;

Don’t let our fluttering bird give you the slip!

It must be tired of its old lodging now;

And genius, too—that must soar up somehow.

[
A flash of glory from above right
.]

THE HEAVENLY HOST
. Follow, bright envoys,

Companions of heaven,

Unhurriedly soaring:

Let sin be forgiven,

Earth-creatures restoring,

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All natures partaking;

Let each feel the trace

As you pause at the place

Of your hovering grace!

MEPHISTOPHELES
. Now what cacophony is this, what jangling

Noise from above, unwelcome as that light?

A boyish-girlish callow twing-a-twangling,

Fit for some pious nun or acolyte!

In vain we hatched that supersubtle plot

To lay the human population waste;

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Our most outrageous trick, just fancy what?

Exactly suits their dim religious taste.

The hypcrites, the riff-raff! Here they are!

That’s how they’ve cheated us of many a prize;

They fight with our own weapons in this war—

They’re devils too, but in disguise.

You there! Hold firm, on your eternal shame!

Stand round the grave, and guard it like hell’s flame!

CHORUS OF ANGELS
[
scattering roses]
.

Roses resplendent,

Roses balm-redolent,

Floating and hovering,

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Stem-wing and petal-wing,

Rosebuds reopening,

Blossom recovering,

Secretlgy succouring:

Hasten to him and bring

Crimson and green of spring,

Make him a paradise

Here where he lies!

MEPHISTOPHELES
[
to the demons]
.

What’s all this flinching, twitching? Did they teach

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You that in hell? Stand fast, and let them throw

Bouquets about! To battle-stations, each

Ugly man-jack of you! They think they’ll snow

Hot fiends up under flower-power! Blow,

And they’ll all wither, they’ll all fade and bleach!

Snuff them out, snuffle-snouts!—Enough, enough!

The whole flight’s blighted with your stinking puff!

Just take it easy! Shut your mouths and noses!

Damn you, you’re blowing far too hard!

Can’t you learn moderation? Look, those roses,

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They’re not just withering, they’re all black and charred—

They’re burning! Here they come, the poisoned flames.

Stand and resist, in the three devils’ names!—

They’re losing heart, they might as well retire.

My devils smell a new, insinuating fire!

ANGELS
[
in chorus]
.

Flowers of blessedness,

Flames with your dancing light,

Spreaders of happiness,

Powers of love that bless,

Givers of heart’s delight:

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True words that shine and last,

Brightness in ether lost,

For the eternal host

World without night!

MEPHISTOPHELES
. Damn you, my satan-wimps! Now, by my wrath,

They’re standing on their heads; oh, shame on you!

The louts are turning cartwheels—the whole crew

Goes plunging arsewise back into perdition.

May you enjoy your well-deserved hot bath!

But I’ll not budge from my position.

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[
Striking out at the roses as they float down
.]

Begone, will-o’-the-wisps! You’re bright lights, yes,

But once I catch you, you’re a sticky mess.

Ugh! Get away from me, you fluttering pack!—

They cling like pitch and sulphur to my back.

ANGELS
[
in chorus]
.

What has no part in you

You have no need of it,

What frets the heart in you

Do not take heed of it.

If the defences fail

Our strength must then prevail.

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Love: for by love alone

Heaven is won.

MEPHISTOPHELES
. My head’s on fire, my heart and guts as well:
*

This is worse than the flames of hell!

11780

Some superdiabolic element

Is piercing me. Is this the pain that’s meant,

Why unrequited lovers wail Alas!

And crane their necks to see their mistress pass?

Even I! What twists my head towards them somehow?

I was their mortal enemy till now:

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Even the sight of them was more than I could bear.

Am I possessed, then, by some alien force?

I like the look of these nice boys—of course

I do! What’s this? Why can’t I curse and swear?

I’d like to know who’s going to be

The fool in future, if they make a fool of me!

Young ruffians, how I hate them all! Yet I confess

They’re damned attractive none the less!—

My dears, would I be wrong to guess you are

By any chance cousins of Lucifer?

11770

You’re pretty! I must give you all a kiss!

I think you’ll suit me at a time like this.

I feel so comfy and so natural,

As if I’d seen you many times before;

So curiously cat-randy, and the more

I contemplate you, the more beautiful

You get. Come closer, please! Just one sweet glance!

THE ANGELS
. We are coming; why do you shrink as we advance?

As we draw near, stand your ground if you can!

[
THE ANGELS
circle round, filling the entire stage
.]

MEPHISTOPHELES
[
pushed forward to the proscenium]
.

You give us a bad name as sprites of hell,

And yet the witchcraft’s yours: your goblin-spell

Seduces woman and seduces man!

Damn this for an adventure! Can this be

The element of love, can it be real?

I burn all over, I can scarcely feel

My burnt hump where those flowers got at me.

You dither about so, my dears: come down!

Those lovely limbs should move more worldly-wise.

It’s true it suits you well, that serious frown;

But to see you smile would be a sweet surprise!

11790

Just once, please! It would give me such delight!

Just smile the little smile that lovers use—

A modulation of the mouth, that’s right!

You tall boy there, now you I’d not refuse;

But why this unbecoming priestly air?

Give me a lustful look instead, ah yes!

And please, be all a little nakeder!

Those flowing robes are decent to excess.

They turn—the rear view is too tantalizing!

Delicious monkeys! ah, how appetizing!

11800

CHORUS OF ANGELS
. Turn, burning flames of love,

Turn into clarity!

So to the self-condemned

Truth shall bring liberty;

Freed from the evil spell

They shall win through as well

Into the blessed throng

Where all belong.

MEPHISTOPHELES
[
pulling himself together]
.

What’s wrong with me? I’m out in boils all over,

Like Job! A self-repugnant spectacle;

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And yet a triumph, when one sees the whole

Depths of oneself, and trusts them to recover.

My noble devil-parts are saved alive!

Those love-charms, as mere eczema they thrive;

The whole damned bonfire’s now a burnt-out case,

And once again I curse the whole angelic race!

CHORUS OF ANGELS
. Blaze, holy fire! These

Whom you surround here

Sweet life have found here

For all to share.

With single voice now

Cry and rejoice now!

The spirit breathes

In a purified air.

[
They soar upwards, carrying
FAUST
’
s immortal part
.]

MEPHISTOPHELES
[
looking round]
.

But what is this? They’ve gone! Where can they be?

You halflings, I’ve been caught off duty!

You’ve hovered off to heaven with my booty!

That’s why they snuffled round this grave; I see!

I’ve lost my greatest, my most precious prize.

That lofty soul who pledged himself to me—

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Filched cunningly before my very eyes!

Now who shall I complain to? Who

Will give me justice, give me back what’s mine?

Poor fool, at your age you’ve been tricked. A fine

Mess you are in, and well deserve it too!

I’ve misbehaved, there’s no one else to blame,

I’m in disgrace. The whole investment lost;

All that good work for nothing! Common lust,

Absurd infatuation puts to shame

The hard-boiled Devil. And if even my

11840

Wisdom’s no match for such tomfoolery—

Then to this strange love-madness I extend

My compliments, since it could catch me in the end!

[
A wild rocky region in the forest. Holy anchorites have settled at various heights among the clefts of the mountain side
.]

CHORUS
and
ECHO
. Woods, hitherwavering,

Rocks, cliffs, downburdening,

Roots close to roots they cling,

Trunk to trunk neighbouring.

The rushing waters leap,

The sheltering caves are deep.

Lions prowl round us, dumb,

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Gentle and shy to come

Into this holy place,

Sacred to love and grace.

PATER ECSTATICUS
[
hovering up and down]
.

Joy of immortal fire

Lovebond of hot desire,

Heart’s seething agony,

Godspring of ecstasy!

Arrows, pierce through me now,