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Meph. Why, sir, what would you? You cannot speak with him.

Horse-C. But I will speak with him.

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Meph. Why, he's fast asleep. Come some other time. Horse-C. I'll speak with him now, or I'll break his glass windows about his ears.

Meph. I tell thee he has not slept this eight nights. Horse-C. An he have not slept this eight weeks I'll speak with him.

Meph. See where he is, fast asleep.

Horse-C. I, this is he. God save you, Master Doctor, Master Doctor, Master Doctor Fustian !-forty dollars, forty dollars for a bottle of hay!

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Meph. Why, thou seest he hears thee not. Horse-C. So ho, ho!-so ho, ho! [Hollas in his ear.] No, will you not wake? I'll make you wake ere I go. [Pulls FAUSTUS by the leg, and pulls it away.] Alas, I am undone! What shall I do?

Faust. O my leg, my leg! Help, Mephistophilis! call the officers. My leg, my leg!

Meph. Come, villain, to the constable.

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Horse-C. O lord, sir, let me go, and I'll give you forty dollars more.

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Faust. What, is he gone? Farewell he! Faustus has

1 Hostelry, inn.

his leg again, and the horse-courser, I take it, a bottle of hay for his labour. Well, this trick shall cost him forty dollars more.

Enter WAGNER.

How now, Wagner, what's the news with thee?

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Wag. Sir, the Duke of Vanholt doth earnestly entreat your company.

Faust. The Duke of Vanholt! an honourable gentleman, to whom I must be no niggard of my cunning. Come, Mephistophilis, let's away to him.

[Exeunt.1

SCENE XII.

Enter the DUKE OF VANHOLT, the DUCHESS,
FAUSTUS, and MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Duke. Believe me, Master Doctor, this merriment hath much pleased me.

Faust. My gracious lord, I am glad it contents you so well. But it may be, madam, you take no delight in this. I have heard that great-bellied women do long for some dainties or other: what is it, madam? tell me, and you shall have it.

Duchess. Thanks, good Master Doctor; and for I see your courteous intent to pleasure me, I will not hide

1 In ed. 1616 there follows a scene in which the horse-courser relates to an ale-house audience how he had been cozened by Faustus. See Appendix.

2 Scene court of the Duke of Vanholt. The text of ed. 1616 is given in the Appendix.

from you the thing my heart desires; and were it now summer, as it is January and the dead time of the winter, I would desire no better meat than a dish of ripe grapes.

13

Faust. Alas, madam, that's nothing! Mephistophilis, begone. [Exit MEPHISTOPHILIS.] Were it a greater thing than this, so it would content you, you should have it.

Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS with grapes.

Here they be, madam; wilt please you taste on them?

Duke. Believe me, Master Doctor, this makes me wonder above the rest, that being in the dead time of winter, and in the month of January, how you should come by these grapes?

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Faust. If it like your grace, the year is divided into two circles over the whole world, that, when it is here winter with us, in the contrary circle it is summer with them, as in India, Saba, and farther countries in the East; and by means of a swift Spirit that I have I had them brought hither, as you see.-How do you like them, madam; be they good?

Duchess. Believe me, Master Doctor, they be the best grapes that ever I tasted in my life before.

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Faust. I am glad they content you so, madam. Duke. Come, madam, let us in, where you must well reward this learned man for the great kindness he hath showed to you.

Duchess. And so I will, my lord; and, whilst I live, rest beholding for this courtesy.

Faust. I humbly thank your grace.

Duke. Come, Master Doctor, follow us and receive

your reward.

SCENE XIII.

Enter WAGNER.

[Exeunt.

Wag. I think my master shortly2 means to die,
For he hath given to me all his goods:
And yet, methinks, if that death were [so] near,
He would not banquet, and carouse and swill
Amongst the students, as even now he doth,
Who are at supper with such belly cheer

As Wagner ne'er beheld in all his life.

See where they come! belike the feast is ended. [Exit.

SCENE XIV.

Enter 3 FAUSTUS, with two or three Scholars and
MEPHISTOPHILIS.

1st Schol. Master Doctor Faustus, since our conference about fair ladies, which was the beautifullest in all the world, we have determined with ourselves that Helen of Greece was the admirablest lady that ever lived: there

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1 Scene: a room in Faustus' house. Ed. 1616 reads :—

'Thunder and lightning. Enter Devils with covered dishes; MEPHISTOPHILIS leads them into FAUSTUS' study; then enter WAGNER. "Wag. I think my master means to die shortly; he has made his will, and given me his wealth, his house, his goods, and store of golden plate, besides two thousand ducats ready-coined. I wonder what he means: if death were nigh, he would not frolic thus. He's now at supper with the scholars, where there's such belly cheer as Wagner in his life ne'er saw the like: and, see where they come ! belike the feast is done. [Exit.” 2 I have adopted Cunningham's obvious correction. Eds. 1604, 1609, means to die shortly."

3 Scene: a room in Faustus' house,

fore, Master Doctor, if you will do us that favour, as to let us see that peerless dame of Greece, whom all the world admires for majesty, we should think ourselves much beholding unto you.

Faust. Gentlemen,

For that I know your friendship is unfeigned,
And Faustus' custom is not to deny

The just requests of those that wish him well,
You shall behold that peerless dame of Greece,
No otherways for pomp and majesty,
Than when Sir Paris crossed the seas with her,
And brought the spoils1 to rich Dardania.

Be silent, then, for danger is in words.

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[Music sounds, and HELEN 2 passeth over the stage. 2nd Schol. Too simple is my wit to tell her praise, Whom all the world admires for majesty.3

1 Perhaps an allusion to the legend that Paris when carrying off Helen plundered Sparta.

2 Dyce quotes from the prose History of Dr. Faustus the following description of Helen :

"This lady appeared before them in a most rich gowne of purple velvet, costly imbrodiered; her haire hanged downe loose, as faire as the beaten gold, and of such length that it reached downe to her hammes; having most amorous cole-black eyes, a sweet and pleasant round face, with lips as red as a cherry; her cheekes of a rose colour, her mouth small, her neck white like a swan; tall and slender of personage; in summe, there was no imperfect place in her she looked round about with a rolling hawkes eye, a smiling and wanton countenance, which neere-hand inflamed the hearts of all the students; but that they perswaded themselves she was a spirit, which made them lightly passe away such fancies."

3 Ed. 1616 reads:

"2nd Schol. Was this fair Helen, whose admired worth Made Greece with ten years' wars afflict poor Troy?

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