lies often far away.
A German of fine blood dislikes the French,
but he enjoys their wines the better.
SIEBEL (
as MEPHISTOPHELES approaches his seat
) .
I must confess, I never liked it sour.
Pour me a glass of sweet and mellow wine.
MEPHISTOPHELES (
continues to bore holes
) .
Tokay for you; watch it flow in just a minute.
ALTMAYER.
Now, gentlemen, look straight into my eyes!
Ah yes, your joke’s on us, I must confess.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Come, come! With guests of your distinction
2280
such sport would be a risky venture.
Be quick and speak out honestly:
Which wine would be your pleasure?
ALTMAYER.
Anything for me! Don’t ask a lot of questions.
(
The holes have been bored and Plugged
.)
MEPHISTOPHELES (
gesturing mysteriously
) .
The grape from living vines is fed;
The goat, it has a horned head.
Wine is juice, plants yield more,
From this plank the wine shall pour.
Profoundly into Nature peer!
Have faith, a miracle is here!
2290
Now draw the stoppers, drink your fill!
TOGETHER (
as they pull the stoppers, and the desired wine pours into their glasses
) .
Flow on, O fairest spring!
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Be very careful not to spill a single drop.
(
They drink repeatedly
.)
TOGETHER (
singing
) .
We feel so good, so cannibalistic jolly,
much like five hundred grunting sows.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
The people are free. How they enjoy themselves!
FAUST.
I am inclined to leave immediately.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Take notice first how their bestiality
will stand revealed in glowing color.
SIEBEL (
drinks carelessly; the wine spills to the ground and turns into flame).
Help! Fire! Hell’s aflame!
MEPHISTOPHELES (
addressing the flame
) .
2300
Be still, my friendly element!
(
To the students
.)
This time it was the merest drop of purgatory.
SIEBEL.
What do you mean? Wait, man, you will pay for this!
Do you know with whom you’re dealing?
FROSCH.
Don’t try this trick a second time, you hear!
ALTMAYER.
Let’s ease him sideways out the door.
SIEBEL.
What, sir? You have the audacity
to play your hocus-pocus here on us?
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Shut your mouth, you tub of wine!
SIEBEL.
You skinny broomstick, you!
I think you want to play it rough.
BRANDER.
2310
Just wait. We’ll knock you black and blue.
ALTMAYER (
pulls a plug from the table; fire leaps in his face
) .
I burn! I burn!
SIEBEL.
That’s sorcery!
Cut him down! He is a public enemy.
(
They draw their knives and move against
MEPHISTOPHELES .)
MEPHISTOPHELES (
with solemn gestures
) .
False when and false where,
The foul and the fair
Be here, be there!
(
They stand amazed and stare at each other
.)
ALTMAYER.
Where am I? What a lovely land!
FROSCH.
Vineyards! Can I trust my eyes?
SIEBEL.
And grapes so near at hand!
BRANDER.
And look! beneath the dark green arbor,
what vines! and oh, what luscious grapes!
(
He seizes
SIEBEL’S
nose. The others do the same, one to the
A German of fine blood dislikes the French,
but he enjoys their wines the better.
SIEBEL (
as MEPHISTOPHELES approaches his seat
) .
I must confess, I never liked it sour.
Pour me a glass of sweet and mellow wine.
MEPHISTOPHELES (
continues to bore holes
) .
Tokay for you; watch it flow in just a minute.
ALTMAYER.
Now, gentlemen, look straight into my eyes!
Ah yes, your joke’s on us, I must confess.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Come, come! With guests of your distinction
2280
such sport would be a risky venture.
Be quick and speak out honestly:
Which wine would be your pleasure?
ALTMAYER.
Anything for me! Don’t ask a lot of questions.
(
The holes have been bored and Plugged
.)
MEPHISTOPHELES (
gesturing mysteriously
) .
The grape from living vines is fed;
The goat, it has a horned head.
Wine is juice, plants yield more,
From this plank the wine shall pour.
Profoundly into Nature peer!
Have faith, a miracle is here!
2290
Now draw the stoppers, drink your fill!
TOGETHER (
as they pull the stoppers, and the desired wine pours into their glasses
) .
Flow on, O fairest spring!
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Be very careful not to spill a single drop.
(
They drink repeatedly
.)
TOGETHER (
singing
) .
We feel so good, so cannibalistic jolly,
much like five hundred grunting sows.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
The people are free. How they enjoy themselves!
FAUST.
I am inclined to leave immediately.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Take notice first how their bestiality
will stand revealed in glowing color.
SIEBEL (
drinks carelessly; the wine spills to the ground and turns into flame).
Help! Fire! Hell’s aflame!
MEPHISTOPHELES (
addressing the flame
) .
2300
Be still, my friendly element!
(
To the students
.)
This time it was the merest drop of purgatory.
SIEBEL.
What do you mean? Wait, man, you will pay for this!
Do you know with whom you’re dealing?
FROSCH.
Don’t try this trick a second time, you hear!
ALTMAYER.
Let’s ease him sideways out the door.
SIEBEL.
What, sir? You have the audacity
to play your hocus-pocus here on us?
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Shut your mouth, you tub of wine!
SIEBEL.
You skinny broomstick, you!
I think you want to play it rough.
BRANDER.
2310
Just wait. We’ll knock you black and blue.
ALTMAYER (
pulls a plug from the table; fire leaps in his face
) .
I burn! I burn!
SIEBEL.
That’s sorcery!
Cut him down! He is a public enemy.
(
They draw their knives and move against
MEPHISTOPHELES .)
MEPHISTOPHELES (
with solemn gestures
) .
False when and false where,
The foul and the fair
Be here, be there!
(
They stand amazed and stare at each other
.)
ALTMAYER.
Where am I? What a lovely land!
FROSCH.
Vineyards! Can I trust my eyes?
SIEBEL.
And grapes so near at hand!
BRANDER.
And look! beneath the dark green arbor,
what vines! and oh, what luscious grapes!
(
He seizes
SIEBEL’S
nose. The others do the same, one to the
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