Читать книгу The Greatest German Classics (Vol. 1-14) - Various - Страница 1330

Silence! Silence!

False seeing one, false speaking one, thou!

Through thy horrible, single-tooth'd lips,

Ghastly, what exhaleth

From such terrible loathsome gulf!

For the malignant one, kindliness feigning,

Rage of wolf 'neath the sheep's woolly fleece,

Far more terrible is unto me than

Jaws of the hound three-headed.

Anxiously watching stand we here:

When? How? Where of such malice

Bursteth the tempest

From this deep-lurking brood of Hell?

Now, 'stead of friendly words, freighted with comfort,

Lethe-bestowing, gracious and mild,

Thou art summoning from times departed,

Thoughts of the past most hateful,

Overshadowing not alone

All sheen gilding the present,

Also the future's

Mildly glimmering light of hope.

Silence! Silence!

That fair Helena's soul,

Ready e'en now to take flight,

Still may keep, yea firmly keep

The form of all forms, the loveliest,

Ever illumined of old by the sun.

[HELENA has revived, and again stands in the midst.]

* * * * *

(The scene is entirely changed. Close arbors recline against a series of rocky caverns. A shady grove extends to the base of the encircling rocks. FAUST and HELENA are not seen. The CHORUS lies sleeping, scattered here and there.)