Fair
greeting
to you, sirs!
Faust, a Tragedy by Goethe
_Siebel_. What do the strangers seem to thee?
_Frosch_. Just let me go! When wine our friendship mellows,
Easy as drawing a child's tooth 'twill be
To worm their secrets out of these two fellows.
They're of a noble house, I dare to swear,
They have a proud and discontented air.
_Brander_. They're mountebanks, I'll bet a dollar!
_Altmayer_. Perhaps.
_Frosch_. I'll smoke them, mark you that!
_Mephistopheles_ [_to Faust_]. These people never smell the old rat,
E'en when he has them by the collar.
_Faust_.
Fair greeting to you, sirs!
_Siebel_. The same, and thanks to boot.
[_In a low tone, faking a side look at MEPHISTOPHELES_. ]
Why has the churl one halting foot?
_Mephistopheles_. With your permission, shall we make one party?
Instead of a good drink, which get here no one can,
Good company must make us hearty.
_Altmayer_. You seem a very fastidious man.
_Frosch_. I think you spent some time at Rippach[22] lately?
You supped with Mister Hans not long since, I dare say?
_Mephistopheles_. We passed him on the road today!
Fine man!
