{
  "meta": {
    "schema_version": "1.1",
    "endpoint": "/api/sources/goethe-works/faust/faust-i/15-scene-12-garden.json"
  },
  "work": {
    "slug": "faust-i",
    "name": "Faust I (1808)"
  },
  "parents": [
    {
      "slug": "goethe-works",
      "name": "Works of Goethe",
      "url": "/sources/goethe-works/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "faust",
      "name": "Faust (Parts I and II)",
      "url": "/sources/faust/"
    }
  ],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 15,
    "slug": "15-scene-12-garden",
    "title": "Scene XII — Garden",
    "of": 28,
    "words": 1208,
    "text": "(Marcaret on Faust's arm. Martua and MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nwalking up and down.)\n\nMARGARET.\n\nFEEL, the gentleman allows for me,\nDemeans himself, and shames me by it:\nA traveller is so used to be\nKindly content with any diet.\nI know too.well that my poor gossip can :\n\nNe'er entertain such an experienced man.\n\n»\n\nFaust.\n\nA look from thee, a word, more entertains\n\nThan all the lore of wisest brains.\n\n(He kisses her hand.)\n\nMarRGARET.\n\nDon't incommode yourself! How could you ever kiss it?\nIt is so ugly, rough to see!\n\n194 faust.\n\nWhat work I do, — how hard and steady is it!\nMother is much too close with me.\n\n[ They pass.\n\nMARTHA.\n\nAnd you, Sir, travel always, do you not?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nAlas, that trade and duty us so harry!\nWith what a pang one leaves so many a spot,\n\nAnd dares not even now and then to tarry!\n\nMarTHA.\n\nIn young, wild years it suits your ways,\n\nThis round and round the world in freedom sweeping ;\nBut then come on the evil days,\n\nAnd so, as bachelor, into his grave a-creeping,\n\nNone ever found a thing to praise.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nI dread to see how such a fate advances.\n\nMarTHA.\n\nThen, worthy Sir, improve betimes your chances!\n[ They pass.\n\nScene XII.\n\nMARGARET.\n\nYes, out of sight is out of mind!\nYour courtesy an easy grace is;\nBut you have friends in other places,\n\nAnd sensibler than I, you I] find.\n\nFaust.\n\nTrust me, dear heart! what men call sensible\n\nIs oft mere vanity and narrowness.\n\nMarGAaRET.\nHow so?\n~ Faust.\nAh, that simplicity and innocence ne'er know\nThemselves, their holy value, and their spell !\nThat meekness, lowliness, the highest graces\n\nWhich Nature portions out so lovingly —\n\nMARGARET.\n\nThink but a little moment's space on me!\n\nTo think on you I have all times and places.'°5\n\nFaust.\n\nNo doubt you 're much alone?\n\n196 Faust.\n\nMaRGARET.\n\nYes, for our household small has grown,\n\nYet must be cared for, you will own.\n\nWe have no maid: I do the knitting, sewing, sweeping,\nThe cooking, early work and late, in fact;\n\nAnd mother, in her notions of housekeeping,\n\nIs so exact!\n\nNot that she needs so much to keep expenses down:\nWe, more than others, might take comfort, rather :\nA nice estate was left us by my father,\n\nA house, a little garden near the town.\n\nBut now my days have less of noise and hurry ;\n\nMy brother is a soldier,\n\nMy little sister 's dead.\n\nTrue, with the child a troubled life I led,\n\nYet I would take again, and willing, all the worry,\n\nSo very dear was she.\n\nFaust.\n\nAn angel, if like thee!\n\nMarRGARET.\n\nI brought it up, and it was fond of me.\nFather had died before it saw the light,\n\nAnd mother's case seemed hopeless quite,\n\nScene XII. 197\n\nSo weak and miserable she lay ;\n\nAnd she recovered, then, so slowly, day by day.\nShe could not think, herself, of giving\n\nThe poor wee thing its natural living ;\n\nAnd so I nursed it all alone\n\nWith milk and water: 't was my own.\n\nLulled in my lap with many a song,\n\nIt smiled, and tumbled, and grew strong.\n\nFaust.\n\nThe purest bliss was surely then thy dower.\n\nMARGARET.\n\nBut surely, also, many a weary hour.\n\nI kept the baby's cradle near\n\nMy bed at night: if 't even stirred, I'd guess it,\n\nAnd waking, hear.\n\nAnd I must nurse it, warm beside me press It,\n\nAnd oft, to quiet it, my bed forsake,\n\nAnd dandling back and forth the restless creature take,\nThen at the wash-tub stand, at morning's break ;\n\nAnd then the marketing and kitchen-tending,\n\nDay after day, the same thing, never-ending.\n\n198 faust.\n\nOne's spirits, Sir, are thus not always good,\n\nBut then one learns to relish rest and food.\n\n[ They pass.\nMartTHAa.\n\nYes, the poor women are bad off, 't is true:\n\nA stubborn bachelor there 's no converting.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nIt but depends upon the like of you,\nAnd I should turn to better ways than flirting.\n\nMarRTHA.\n\nSpeak plainly, Sir, have you no one detected ?\n\nHas not your heart been anywhere subjected ?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nThe proverb says: One's own warm hearth\n\nAnd a good wife, are gold and jewels worth.\n\nMartTHAa.\n\nI mean, have you not felt desire, though ne'er so slightly?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nI 've everywhere, in fact, been entertained politely.\n\ncau — _\n\nScene XII. 199\n\nMarTHA.\n\nI meant to say, were you not touched in earnest, ever?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nOne should allow one's self to jest with ladies never.\n\nMarTHA.\n\nAh, you don't understand !\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nI'm sorry I'm so blind:\nBut I am sure — that you are very kind.\n[ They pass.\nFaust.\nAnd me, thou angel! didst thou recognize,\n\nAs through the garden-gate I came?\n\nMARGARET.\n\nDid you not see it? I cast down my eyes.\n\nFaust.\nAnd thou forgiv'st my freedom, and the blame\n\nTo my impertinence befitting,\n\nAs the Cathedral thou wert quitting ?\n\n200 Faust.\n\nMARGARET.\n\nI was confused, the like ne'er happened me;\nNo one could ever speak to my discredit.\n\nAh, thought I, in my conduct has he read it —\nSomething immodest or unseemly free?\n\nHe seemed to have the sudden feeling\n\nThat with this wench 't were very easy dealing.\nI will confess, I knew not what appeal\n\nOn your behalf, here, in my bosom grew;\n\nBut I was angry with myself, to feel\n\nThat I could not be angrier with you.\n\nFaust.\nSweet darling ! .\n| MarGarRET.\nWait a while!\n(She plucks a star-flower,'°® and pulls off the leaves, one after the\nother.)\nFaust.\n\nShall that a nosegay be?\n\nMarcarir.\nNo, it is just in play.\n\nScene XII. 201\n\nF Aust.\n\nHow?\n\nMARGARET.\n\nGo! you 'll laugh at me.\n(She pulls off the leaves and murmurs.)\n\nFaust.\n\nWhat murmurest thou?\n\nMarcaret (half aloud).\nHe loves me — loves me not.\n\nFaust.\n\nThou sweet, angelic soul!\n\nMarcaretT (continues).\n\nLoves me — not — loves me — not —\n\n(plucking the last leaf, she cries with frank delight :)\nHe loves me!\nFaust.\nYes, child! and let this blossom-word\nFor thee be speech divine! He loves thee!\n\nAh, know'st thou what it means? He loves thee !\n\n(He grasps both her hands.)\n\n202 Faust.\n\nMARGARET.\nI'm all a-tremble!\n\nFaust.\nO tremble not! but let this look,\nLet this warm clasp of hands declare thee\nWhat is unspeakable!\nTo yield one wholly, and to feel a rapture\nIn yielding, that must be eternal!\nEternal !— for the end would be despair.\n\nNo, no, — no ending! no ending!\n\nMartua (coming forward).\n\nThe night is falling.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nAy! we must away.\n\nMartua.\nI'd ask you, longer here to tarry,\nBut evil tongues in this town have full play.\nIt's as if nobody had nothing to fetch and carry,'\"\nNor other labor,\nBut spying all the doings of one's neighbor :\nAnd one becomes the talk, do whatsoe'er one may.\n\nWhere is our couple now?\n\n- Scene XII. 203\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nFlown up the alley yonder,\nThe wilful summer-birds !\n\nMarrTHA.\n\nHe seems of her still fonder.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nAnd she of him. So runs the world away!\n\n204. | Faust.\n\nXIII.\nA GARDEN-ARBOR.",
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}