“Faust” by Charles Gounod libretto (English)

Contents: Cast; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four; Act Five

ACT FOUR

The church

MARGUERITE
kneeling down
Lord, allow your humble servant
To come and kneel before you!

MEPHISTOPHELES
No! You shall not pray! Strike her with terror!
Spirits of evil, hasten here!

DEMONS
Marguerite!

MARGUERITE
Who is calling me?

DEMONS
Marguerite!

MARGUERITE
I falter! I die!
Dear God! Merciful God!
Is it already the hour of retribution?

MEPHISTOPHELES
Remember the past, when sheltering your bliss
Beneath angels' wings,
You came to worship the Lord in his own temple,
Singing his praise!
When you stammered out a chaste prayer
in a faltering voice
And carried within your heart your mother's kisses
And God, at the same time!
Hear these clamours! Hell is claiming you!
Hell is pursuing you!
Here comes eternal remorse and eternal anguish
In everlasting night!

MARGUERITE
God! What voice thus addresses me in the clark?
Almighty God!
What black veil has suddenly fallen over me?

INVISIBLE CHORUS
When the day of the Lord dawns
His cross will shine in heaven
And the whole world will be shattered!

MARGUERITE
Alas, this pious chant is even more terrifying!

MEPHISTOPHELES
No! God no longer forgives you!
The sky no longer dawns for you!
No! No!

INVISIBLE CHORUS
What shall I tell the Lord then?
Where shall I find a protector
When the innocent himself stands in fear!

MARGUERITE
Ah, this chant stifles and chokes me!
I am clamped in an iron band!

MEPHISTOPHELES
Farewell, nights of love and days of rapture!
A curse on you! Hell awaits you!

MARGUERITE
Lord!

MARGUERITE and INVISIBLE CHORUS
Lord, welcome the prayer
Of unhappy hearts.
May one spark of your light
Shine down on them!

MEPHISTOPHELES
Marguerite!
Be accursed!
Hell awaits you!

Marguerite gives a shriek and falls senseless on the flagstones.

A STREET
On the left Marguerite's cottage.

CHORUS OF SOLDIERS
Let's lay down our weapons!
We are back home at last!
Our tearful mothers,
Our mothers and sisters
Shall no longer wait for us.

VALENTIN
seeing Siebel
Upon my word, here is Siebel!
SIEBEL

Indeed it is, I...

VALENTIN
Here, at once! Let me embrace you!
They embrace
Where is Marguerite?

SIEBEL
I believe she is in church.

VALENTIN
Yes, praying God on my behalf!
Dear sister,
How attentively she will listen
To the tale of our battles!

CHORUS OF SOLDIERS
Yes, it is a pleasure in every home
To tell the children, noiselessly shuddering,
The old men and the young girls
About war and its battles!
Immortal glory
Of our ancestors,
Be loyal to us,
Let's die as they did!
And under your protection,
As victorious soldiers,
Direct our steps, kindle our hearts!
For you, fatherland,
Defying Fate,
Your warlike sons
Have faced death!
Your holy voice shouts to us:
Forward, soldiers!
Sword in hand, rush into the fray!
Immortal glory, etc.
Let us hasten back to our homes!
We are awaited, peace is now made.
No more sighing! Let us hurry!
Our country holds out its arms to us!
Love smiles on us, we are love's darlings!
And more than one heart flutters silently
At the memory of our battles!
Immortal glory, etc.

Exeunt.

VALENTIN
Come, Siebel,
Let us go inside!
A glass in hand, you shall answer my toast!

SIEBEL
quickly
No, don't go in!

VALENTIN
Why not? You turn away your head?
Your eyes will not meet mine!
Siebel, explain your meaning!

SIEBEL
Well... No, I cannot!

VALENTIN
starting towards the house
What do you mean?

SIEBEL
detaining him
Stop!
Valentin, be merciful!

VALENTIN
struggling free
Let me go! Let me go!
He goes inside.

SIEBEL
Forgive her!
My God, I entreat you!
My God, defend her!

He runs off;
Mephistopheles and Faust appear. The former carries a guitar.
Faust walks up to Marguerite's cottage and stops.

MEPHISTOPHELES
What are you waiting for now?
Let's go inside.

FAUST
Silence, accursed one! I am afraid
To bring shame and grief back to this house.

MEPHISTOPHELES
What's the use of seeking her again,
Now you have left her?
Our presence would be welcomed
Much more heartily elsewhere.
The witches' sabbath awaits us!

FAUST
Marguerite!

MEPHISTOPHELES
I see that my advice is not heeded
And that love triumphs.
But if you want the door to open in front of you
You will certainly need the help of my voice!
"You who pretend to sleep
Do you not hear,
O Catherine, my love,
My voice and my footsteps?"
Thus your suitor calls to you,
And your heart believes him...
Ah, ah, ah! ...

Don't open the door, my pretty one,
Till the ring is on your finger!
"My beloved Catherine,
Why do you deny
To your entreating lover
So sweet a kiss?"
Thus your suitor pleads
And your heart believes him!...
Ah, ah, ah!...
Don't grant any kisses, my pretty one,
Till the ring is on your finger!
Ah, ah, ah!

Valentin comes out of the house.

VALENTIN
What do you want, gentlemen?

MEPHISTOPHELES
I beg your pardon, friend,
But the serenade was not intended for you.

VALENTIN
My sister no doubt would lend
A readier ear!
He draws his sword and shatters Mephistopheles' guitar.

FAUST
His sister!

MEPHISTOPHELES
to Valentin
What is the matter with you?
Don't you like music?

VALENTIN
You have insulted me long enough!
Which of you must I call to account
For my misfortune and shame?
Which of you must perish by my sword?

Faust draws his sword.

MEPHISTOPHELES
to Valentin
Are you determined?
to Faust
Go on, doctor, play your part!

VALENTIN
O mighty God, increase
My strength and my courage!
Allow me to cleanse this outrage
With his own blood.

FAUST
aside
Awesome and seething with rage,
He daunts my ardour!
Should I draw the blood
Of the brother I have outraged?

MEPHISTOPHELES
His threatening gestures,
His blind fury
Make me laugh!... My powerful arm
Shall ward off the storm!

VALENTIN
taking from round his neck the medal Marguerite had given him
As for you, who saved my life,
You that I received from Marguerite,
I no longer want your help,
Accursed medal!
He throws it away.

MEPHISTOPHELES
You shall rue it!

FAUST
Awesome and seething with rage, etc.

VALENTIN
O mighty God, increase, etc.
MEPHISTOPHELES
His threatening gestures, etc.

VALENTIN
On guard and defend yourself!

MEPHISTOPHELES
to Faust
Stand close to me
And just thrust, dear doctor, I shall parry!
They fight. Almost at once, Mephistopheles thrusts aside Valentin's sword and Faust wounds him. Valentin falls down.
There lies our hero, sprawled in the dust!
Away with us, now, away!

He drags Faust away. Dame Martha and some townspeople run in, carrying torches.

DAME MARTHA and BURGHERS
This way, this way, friends!
There's fighting in the street!
One of them has fallen here.
Look: there he is!
He is not dead yet.
He seems to be moving!
Come here quickly!
We must come to his aid!
VALENTIN
Thank you, thank you!
Please spare me your moans!
Upon my word, I have faced death
Too often to be seared of him!

MARGUERITE
running in
Valentin, Valentin!

VALENTIN
Marguerite, my sister!
What do you want with me? Go away!

MARGUERITE
O Lord!

VALENTIN
I die through her fault;
I foolishly picked a quarrel
With her lover!

CHORUS
Her lover!

SIEBEL
Mercy, mercy!

MARGUERITE
Excruciating pain!
What a dire punishment!

SIEBEL
to Valentin
Have pity on her!
Be merciful!

CHORUS
He dies through her fault!
He dies at the hand of her lover!

VALENTIN
Marguerite, listen to me carefully!
Whatever must come, comes at the appointed time!
Death strikes us when he should
And everyone obeys the call from above!
You are now set on an evil course!
Your white hands will work no more!
In order to lead a life of pleasure,
You will relinquish
Every duty and every virtue.
Go! Shame now crushes you!
Remorse dogs your footsteps.
But the hour will strike at last!
Die! And if God forgives you
May you be cursed in this world!

CHORUS
O terror! O blasphemy!
Wretched man, when your last hour has come,
Think of your own salvation, alas ...
Forgive, if you want to be one day forgiven.

VALENTIN
Marguerite!
A curse on you!
Death waits for you on your pallet!
And I die at your hands and fall as a soldier should!

He dies.

ALL
May the Lord welcome his soul
And forgive the sinner.

Contents: Cast; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four; Act Five