Scene XVI
Enter Faustus, with Scholars.73 | |
Faustus | Ah, gentlemen! |
First Scholar | What ails Faustus? |
Faustus | Ah, my sweet chamber-fellow, had I lived with thee, then had I lived still! but now I die eternally. Look, comes he not, comes he not? |
Second Scholar | What means Faustus? |
Third Scholar | Belike he is grown into some sickness by being over solitary. |
First Scholar | If it be so, we’ll have physicians to cure him. ’Tis but a surfeit. Never fear, man. |
Faustus | A surfeit of deadly sin that hath damned both body and soul. |
Second Scholar | Yet, Faustus, look up to Heaven: remember God’s mercies are infinite. |
Faustus | But Faustus’ offence can never be pardoned: the serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus. Ah, gentlemen, hear me with patience, and tremble not at my speeches! Though my heart pants and quivers to remember that I have been a student here these thirty years, oh, would I had never seen Wertenberg, never read book! and what wonders I have done, all Germany can witness, yea, all the world: for which Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world, yea Heaven itself, Heaven, the seat of God, the throne of the blessed, the kingdom of joy; and must remain in hell forever, hell, ah, hell, forever! Sweet friends! what shall become of Faustus being in hell forever? |
Third Scholar | Yet, Faustus, call on God. |
Faustus | On God, whom Faustus hath abjured! on God, whom Faustus hath blasphemed! Ah, my God, I would weep, but the Devil draws in my tears. Gush forth blood instead of tears! Yea, life and soul! Oh, he stays my tongue! I would lift up my hands, but see, they hold them, they hold them! |
All | Who, Faustus? |
Faustus | Lucifer and Mephistopheles. Ah, gentlemen, I gave them my soul for my cunning! |
All | God forbid! |
Faustus | God forbade it indeed; but Faustus hath done it: for vain pleasure of twenty-four years hath Faustus lost eternal joy and felicity. I writ them a bill with mine own blood: the date is expired; the time will come, and he will fetch me. |
First Scholar | Why did not Faustus tell us of this before, that divines might have prayed for thee? |
Faustus | Oft have I thought to have done so: but the Devil threatened to tear me in pieces if I named God; to fetch both body and soul if I once gave ear to divinity: and now ’tis too late. Gentlemen, away! lest you perish with me. |
Second Scholar | Oh, what shall we do to save Faustus? |
Faustus | Talk not of me, but save yourselves, and depart. |
Third Scholar | God will strengthen me. I will stay with Faustus. |
First Scholar | Tempt not God, sweet friend; but let us into the next room, and there pray for him. |
Faustus | Ay, pray for me, pray for me! and what noise soever ye hear, come not unto me, for nothing can rescue me. |
Second Scholar | Pray thou, and we will pray that God may have mercy upon thee. |
Faustus | Gentlemen, farewell: if I live till morning I’ll visit you: if not—Faustus is gone to hell. |
All | Faustus, farewell. |
Exeunt Scholars. The clock strikes eleven. | |
Faustus |
Ah, Faustus,
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The clock strikes the half-hour. | |
Ah, half the hour is past! ’twill all be past anon!
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The clock strikes twelve. | |
O, it strikes, it strikes! Now, body, turn to air,
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Thunder and lightning. | |
O soul, be changed into little water-drops,
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Enter Devils. | |
My God! my God! look not so fierce on me!
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Exeunt Devils with Faustus. | |
Enter Chorus. | |
Chorus |
Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight,
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Exit. |