[They draw their knives and attack Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles. [with serious mien]
False be eye, and false be ear!
Change the sense, and change the place!
Now be there, and now be here!
[They look as thunderstruck, and stare at one another.
Altmayer.
Where am I? in what lovely land?
Frosch.
Vineyards! can it be so?
Siebel.
And grapes too quite at hand!
Brander.
And here beneath this shady tree,
This noble vine, these blushing clusters see!
[He seizes Siebel by the nose. The rest seize one another in the same manner, and lift up their knives.
Mephistopheles. [as above]
Let Error now their eyes unclose,
The devil’s joke to understand!
[He vanishes with Faust. The fellows start back from one another.
Siebel.
What’s the matter?
Altmayer.
How now?
Frosch.
Was that your nose?
Brander. [to Siebel]
And yours is in my hand!
Altmayer.
It was a stroke shot through my every limb!
Give me a chair!—I faint! My eyes grow dim!
Frosch.
Now tell me only what has been the matter?
Siebel.
Where is the fellow? Could I catch him here,
His life out of his body I should batter!
Altmayer.
I saw him just this instant disappear,
Riding upon a wine-cask—I declare
I feel a weight like lead about my feet.
[Turning to the table.]
I wonder if his d——d wine still be there!
Siebel.
There’s not a single drop; ’twas all a cheat.
Frosch.
And yet methinks that I was drinking wine.
Brander.
And I could swear I saw a clustered vine.
Altmayer.
Let none now say the age of miracles is past!
