Perhaps you’ll warmly take their part?

ALTMAYER

The bald-pate pot-belly I have noted: 
Misfortune tames him by degrees;
For in the rat by poison bloated
His own most natural form he sees.

FAUST AND MEPHISTOPHELES

MEPHISTOPHELES

Before all else, I bring thee hither
Where boon companions meet together,
To let thee see how smooth life runs away. 
Here, for the folk, each day’s a holiday: 
With little wit, and ease to suit them,
They whirl in narrow, circling trails,
Like kittens playing with their tails? 
And if no headache persecute them,
So long the host may credit give,
They merrily and careless live.

BRANDER

The fact is easy to unravel,
Their air’s so odd, they’ve just returned from travel: 
A single hour they’ve not been here.

FROSCH

You’ve verily hit the truth!  Leipzig to me is dear: 
Paris in miniature, how it refines its people!

SIEBEL

Who are the strangers, should you guess?

FROSCH

Let me alone!  I’ll set them first to drinking,
And then, as one a child’s tooth draws, with cleverness,
I’ll worm their secret out, I’m thinking. 
They’re of a noble house, that’s very clear: 
Haughty and discontented they appear.

BRANDER

They’re mountebanks, upon a revel.

ALTMAYER

Perhaps.

FROSCH

Look out, I’ll smoke them now!

MEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)

Not if he had them by the neck, I vow,
Would e’er these people scent the Devil!

FAUST
Fair greeting, gentlemen!

SIEBEL

Our thanks:  we give the same.
(Murmurs, inspecting MEPHISTOPHELES from the side.)
In one foot is the fellow lame?

MEPHISTOPHELES

Is it permitted that we share your leisure? 
In place of cheering drink, which one seeks vainly here,
Your company shall give us pleasure.

ALTMAYER

A most fastidious person you appear.

FROSCH

No doubt ’twas late when you from Rippach started? 
And supping there with Hans occasioned your delay?

MEPHISTOPHELES