FAUST

Come! come! already night begins to wane.

MARGARET

I sent my mother to her grave,
I drown’d my child beneath the wave. 
Was it not given to thee and me—­thee too? 
’Tis thou thyself!  I scarce believe it yet. 
Give me thy hand!  It is no dream!  ’Tis true! 
Thine own dear hand!—­But how is this?  ’Tis wet! 
Quick, wipe it off!  Meseems that yet
There’s blood thereon. 
Ah God! what hast thou done? 
Put up thy sword,
I beg of thee!

FAUST

Oh, dearest, let the past forgotten be! 
Death is in every word.

MARGARET

No, thou must linger here in sorrow! 
The graves I will describe to thee,
And thou to them must see
Tomorrow: 
The best place give to my mother,
Close at her side my brother,
Me at some distance lay—­
But not too far away! 
And the little one place on my right breast. 
Nobody else will near me lie! 
To nestle beside thee so lovingly,
That was a rapture, gracious and sweet! 
A rapture I never again shall prove;
Methinks I would force myself on thee, love,
And thou dost spurn me, and back retreat—­
Yet ’tis thyself, thy fond kind looks I see.

FAUST

If thou dost feel ’tis I, then come with me!

MARGARET

What, there? without?

FAUST

 Yes, forth in the free air.

MARGARET

Ay, if the grave’s without,—­If death lurk there! 
Hence to the everlasting resting-place,
And not one step beyond!—­Thou’rt leaving me? 
Oh Henry! would that I could go with thee!

FAUST

Thou canst!  But will it!  Open stands the door.

MARGARET

I dare not go!  I’ve naught to hope for more. 
What boots it to escape?  They lurk for me! 
’Tis wretched to beg, as I must do,
And with an evil conscience thereto! 
’Tis wretched, in foreign lands to stray;
And me they will catch, do what I may!

FAUST

With thee will I abide.

MARGARET

 Quick!  Quick! 
 Save thy poor child! 
 Keep to the path
 The brook along,
 Over the bridge
 To the wood beyond,
 To the left, where the plank is,
 In the pond. 
 Seize it at once! 
 It fain would rise,
 It struggles still! 
 Save it.  Oh save!

FAUST

Dear Gretchen, more collected be! 
One little step, and thou art free!