Margaret and Faust.
Margaret.
Promise me, Henry!
Faust.
What I can.
Margaret.
Of your religion I am fain to hear;
I know thou art a most kind-hearted man,
But as to thy belief I fear—
Faust.
Fear not! thou know’st I love thee well: and know
For whom I love my life’s last drop shall flow!
For other men, I have nor wish nor need
To rob them of their church, or of their creed.
Margaret.
That’s not enough; you must believe it too!
Faust.
Must I?
Margaret.
Alas! that I might work some change on you!
Not even the holy mass do you revere.
Faust.
I do revere ’t.
Margaret.
Yes, but without desire.
At mass and at confession, too, I fear,
Thou hast not shown thyself this many a year.
Dost thou believe in God?
Faust.
My love, who dares aspire
To say he doth believe in God?
May’st ask thy priests and sages all,
Their answer seems like mockery to fall
Upon the asker’s ear.
Margaret.
Then thou dost not believe?
Faust.
Misunderstand me not, thou sweet, angelic face!
Who dares pronounce His name?
And who proclaim—
I do believe in Him?
And who dares presume
To utter—I believe Him not?
The All-embracer,
The All-upholder,
Grasps and upholds He not
Thee, me, Himself?
Vaults not the Heaven his vasty dome above thee?
Stand not the earth’s foundations firm beneath thee?
And climb not, with benignant beaming,
