按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
With firm and conscientious will; Practise the art transmitted from the past? If
thou thy sire dost honour in thy youth; His lore thou gladly wilt receive; In
manhood; dost thou spread the bounds of truth; Then may thy son a higher
goal achieve。
Faust
How blest; in whom the fond desire From error's sea to rise; hope still
renews! What a man knows not; that he doth require; And what he knoweth;
that he cannot use。 But let not moody thoughts their shadow throw O'er the
calm beauty of this hour serene! In the rich sunset see how brightly glow Yon
cottage homes; girt round with verdant green! Slow sinks the orb; the day in
now no more; Yonder he hastens to diffuse new life。 Oh for a pinion from the
earth to soar; And after; ever after him to strive! Then should I see the world
below; Bathed in the deathless evening … beams; The vales reposing; every
height a … glow; The silver brooklets meeting golden streams。 The savage
mountain; with its cavern'd side; Bars not my godlike progress。 Lo; the ocean;
Its warm bays heaving with a tranquil motion; To my rapt vision opes its
ample tide! But now at length the god appears to sink; A new … born impulse
wings my flight; Onward I press; his quenchless light to drink; The day before
me; and behind the night; The pathless waves beneath; and over me the skies。
Fair dream; it vanish'd with the parting day! Alas! that when on spirit … wing
we rise; No wing material lifts our mortal clay。 But 'tis our inborn impulse;
deep and strong; Upwards and onwards still to urge our flight; When far
above us pours its thrilling song The sky … lark; lost in azure light; When on
extended wing amain O'er pine … crown'd height the eagle soars; And over
moor and lake; the crane Still striveth towards its native shores。
Wagner
To strange conceits oft I myself must own; But impulse such as this I ne'er
have known: Nor woods; nor fields; can long our thoughts engage; Their
wings I envy not the feather'd kind; Far otherwise the pleasures of the mind;
Bear us from book to book; from page to page! Then winter nights grow
cheerful; keen delight Warms every limb; and ah! when we unroll Some old
and precious parchment; at the sight All heaven itself descends upon the soul。
Faust
Thy heart by one sole impulse is possess'd; Unconscious of the other still
remain! Two souls; alas! are lodg'd within my breast; Which struggle there for
undivided reign: One to the world; with obstinate desire; And closely …
cleaving organs; still adheres; Above the mist; the other doth aspire; With
sacred vehemence; to purer spheres。 Oh; are there spirits in the air; Who float
'twixt heaven and earth dominion wielding; Stoop hither from your golden
atmosphere; Lead me to scenes; new life and fuller yielding! A magic mantle
did I but possess; Abroad to waft me as on viewless wings; I'd prize it far
beyond the costliest dress; Nor would I change it for the robe of kings。
Alas; two souls are living in my breast; And one wants to separate itself from
the other。 One holds fast to the world with earthy passion And clings with
twining tendrils: The other lifts itself with forceful craving To the very roof of
heaven。
Wagner
Call not the spirits who on mischief wait! Their troop familiar; streaming
through the air; From every quarter threaten man's estate; And danger in a
thousand forms prepare! They drive impetuous from the frozen north; With
fangs sharp … piercing; and keen arrowy tongues; From the ungenial east they
issue forth; And prey; with parching breath; upon thy lungs; If; waft'd on the
desert's flaming wing; They from the south heap fire upon the brain;
Refreshment from the west at first they bring; Anon to drown thyself and field
and plain。 In wait for mischief; they are prompt to hear; With guileful purpose
our behests obey; Like ministers of grace they oft appear; And lisp like
angels; to betray。 But let us hence! Grey eve doth all things blend; The air
grows chill; the mists descend! 'Tis in the evening first our home we prize Why
stand you thus; and gaze with wondering eyes? What in the gloom thus moves
you?
Faust
Yon black hound See'st thou; through corn and stubble scampering round?
Wagner
I've mark'd him long; naught strange in him I see!
Faust
Note him! What takest thou the brute to be?
Wagner
But for a poodle; whom his instinct serves His master's track to find once
more。
Faust
Dost mark how round us; with wide spiral curves; He wheels; each circle
closer than before? And; if I err not; he appears to me A line of fire upon his
track to leave。
Wagner
Naught but a poodle black of hue I see; 'Tis some illusion doth your sight
deceive。
Faust
Methinks a magic coil our feet around; He for a future snare doth lightly
spread。
Wagner
Around us as in doubt I see him shyly bound; Since he two strangers seeth in
his master's stead。
Faust
The circle narrows; he's already near!
Wagner
A dog dost see; no spectre have we here; He growls; doubts; lays him on his
belly; too; And wags his tail … as dogs are wont to do。
Faust
Come hither; Sirrah! join our company!
Wagner
A very poodle; he appears to be! Thou standest still; for thee he'll wait; Thou
speak'st to him; he fawns upon thee straight; Aught thou mayst lose; again he'll
bring; And for thy stick will into water spring。
Faust
Thou'rt right indeed; no traces now I see Whatever of a spirit's agency。 'Tis
training … nothing more。
Wagner
A dog well taught E'en by the wisest of us may be sought。 Ay; to your favour
he's entitled too; Apt scholar of the students; 'tis his due! (They enter the gate
of the town。)
Faust Meets With Mephistopheles
Study
Faust (entering with the poodle)
Now field and meadow I've forsaken; O'er them deep night her veil doth
draw; In us the better soul doth waken; With feelings of foreboding awe; All
lawless promptings; deeds unholy; Now slumber; and all wild desires; The
love of man doth sway us wholly; And love to God the soul inspires。
Peace; poodle; peace! Scamper not thus; obey me! Why at the threshold
snuffest thou so? Behind the stove now quietly lay thee; My softest cushion to
thee I'll throw。 As thou; without; didst please and amuse me Running and
frisking about on the hill; So tendance now I will not refuse thee; A welcome
guest; if thou'lt be still。
Ah! when the friendly taper gloweth; Once more within our narrow cell; Then
in the heart itself that knoweth; A light the darkness doth dispel。 Reason her
voice resumes; returneth Hope's gracious bloom; with promise rife; For
streams of life the spirit yearneth; Ah! for the very fount of life。
Poodle; snarl not! with the tone that arises; Hallow'd and peaceful; my soul
within; Accords not thy growl; thy bestial din。 We find it not strange; that man
despises What he conceives not; That he the good and fair misprizes Finding
them often beyond his ken;