Faustus a Dramatic Mystery Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 325 THE BRIDE OF CORINTH. i. To Corinth a young stranger came From Athens — though himself unknown, Relying on his father's name ; — Nor hospitable t... more »ies alone Secured him a Corinthian friend ; For, plighted by his father's vows, He longed to see his plighted spouse, And hence his journey's aim and end. But will the stranger welcome be ? Or must her love be dearly bought? Alas ! a Heathen still is he, And they the Christian faith are taught! And when new forms of faith arise, How soon love's tender blossom dies, Without a sigh, without a thought t The house in midnight silence lies, Father and daughters, all at rest I Sleep only shuns the mother's eyes — She rises to receive the guest — She leads him to a chamber bright, And wine and bread before him laid; She bows, and wishes him " Good night!" He thought not of the wine and bread, He only felt a wish for rest — At once he flung him on the bed — His weary limbs scarce feel repose, When, hush ! the chamber doors unclose, And in there steals a timid guest. He wakes — and by the lamp's faint light, Behold a maiden tall and fair ! Her veil is white — her robes are white — Black is the band that twines her hair — 'Tis black, but streaked with lines of gold — She screams, and shudders to behold The stranger youth reclining there, And, lifting her white arm in air, Exclaims, " Then am I nothing here ! Guests come and go, and none tells me ! Dark is my chamber, lone and drear, And here to come is infamy. To wander here is scaith and shame, Sleep on, young stranger, quietly, And I will vanish as I came!" ' Stay,' cries the youth, ' stay, maiden dear. As lightly from the couch springs he, ' Ceres and Bacchus, lo! are here, And Love, sweet maid, hath come with t...« less