llow me."

The old man regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, and then rose:

"Let us go," he said, and in the twinkle of an eye they disappeared
into the air.

They were transported over hill and dale, village and fine city, till
the Devil paused at Leipzig.

"Here is the place for us," he said; and instantly they descended to
the drinking cellar of Auerbach, a man who kept fine Rhenish wine for
jolly fellows.

They entered and sat at a table. By this time the Devil had changed
Faust the scholar, into a young and handsome man, youth being one of
Faust's dearest wishes.

All about them were coarse youths, soldiers, students, men off the
street, all drinking and singing gaily. Faust and the Devil ordered
wine and became a part of the company. They were all singing together
at that moment:

Oh, what delight when storm is crashing,
To sit all the night round the bowl;
High in the glass the liquor flashing,
While thick clouds of smoke float around.

The rest of the words were not very dignified nor fascinating, and
Faust looked on with some disgust. Presently some one cried out to a
half-drunken fellow named Brander to give them one of his famous
songs, and he got unsteadily upon his feet and began:

There was a rat in the cellar-nest
Whom fat and butter made smoother;
He had a paunch beneath his vest
Like that of Doctor Luther;
The cook laid poison cunningly,
And then as sore oppressed was he,
As if he had love in his bosom.

He ran around, he ran about,
His thirst in puddles laving;
He gnawed and scratched the house throughout,
But nothing cured his raving;
He whirled and jumped with torment mad,
And soon enough the poor beast had,
As if he had love in his bosom.

And driven at last, in open day,
He ran at last into the kitchen,
Fell on the hearth and squirming lay
In the last convulsion twitching;
Then laughed the murd'ress in her glee,
"Ha, ha! He's at his last gasp," said she,
As if he had love in his bosom.

"Requiescat in pace, amen!" the Devil sang, and all joined on the
"amen." "Now then, permit _me_ to sing you a ballad," the Devil cried,
gaily, and he jumped upon his feet.

"What, you pretend that you can do better than Brander?" they
demanded, a little piqued.

"Well, you see, I am expert at anything nasty and bad; so let us see:

There