eyes
wrathfully in thy head! Stand and defy me with thine intolerable
presence! Imprisoned! In irretrievable misery! Delivered up to evil
spirits, and to condemning, unfeeling Man! And thou hast lulled me,
meanwhile, with the most insipid dissipations, hast concealed from me
her increasing wretchedness, and suffered her to go helplessly to ruin!
[Illustration: _Roll the devilish eyes wrathfully in thy head_]

MEPHISTOPHELES

She is not the first.

FAUST

Dog! Abominable monster! Transform him, thou Infinite Spirit! transform
the reptile again into his dog-shape? in which it pleased him often at
night to scamper on before me, to roll himself at the feet of the
unsuspecting wanderer, and hang upon his shoulders when he fell!
Transform him again into his favorite likeness, that he may crawl upon
his belly in the dust before me,--that I may trample him, the outlawed,
under foot! Not the first! O woe! woe which no human soul can grasp,
that more than one being should sink into the depths of this
misery,--that the first, in its writhing death-agony under the eyes of
the Eternal Forgiver, did not expiate the guilt of all others! The
misery of this single one pierces to the very marrow of my life; and
thou art calmly grinning at the fate of thousands!

MEPHISTOPHELES

Now we are already again at the end of our wits, where the understanding
of you men runs wild. Why didst thou enter into fellowship with us, if
thou canst not carry it out? Wilt fly, and art not secure against
dizziness? Did we thrust ourselves upon thee, or thou thyself upon us?

FAUST

Gnash not thus thy devouring teeth at me? It fills me with horrible
disgust. Mighty, glorious Spirit, who hast vouchsafed to me Thine
apparition, who knowest my heart and my soul, why fetter me to the
felon-comrade, who feeds on mischief and gluts himself with ruin?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Hast thou done?

FAUST

Rescue her, or woe to thee! The fearfullest curse be upon thee for
thousands of ages!

MEPHISTOPHELES

I cannot loosen the bonds of the Avenger, nor undo his bolts. Rescue
her? Who was it that plunged her into ruin? I, or thou?

(FAUST _looks around wildly_.)

Wilt thou grasp the thunder? Well that it has not been given to you,
miserable mortals! To crush to pieces the innocent respondent--that is
the tyrant-fashion of relieving one's self in embarrassments.

FAUST

Take me thither! She shall be free!

MEPHISTOPHELES

And the danger to which thou