The AMOURS of FAUST No 1 The PACT Episodes in Mr. Faust's fruitless pursuit of Happines

Hogarth, jr.

Rockwell Kent

FAUST, the aged poet, had just penned these lines, and was torturing his memory for another word:

"A blest and happy man is he,

Whom, in decrepitude, like me No swift amour can trap or snare.

None but the old can flout the fair!"

he mumbled—when, rolling his eyes about in creative agony, he glanced into the mirror and saw—as is shown in the picture —an image of feminine loveliness.

"You are charmed," said Mephistopheles, observing the poet's despair, "and", glancing at the verses on the table, you are bored with life."

"Destroy", he continued, "all that you have ever written, and I will make you young again; adorn you with the vanities of youth—such as hair and teeth—and delight you with youth's pleasures."

"Enough!" cried the poet, "I accept your offer. Give me—ah! you know my need—a need for everything I have cursed! Give me—ah, give me Love!—young, innocent, entrancing, budding!"

"I would hardly advise—" interrupted the Devil.

"No protestations!" said Faust, sternly, "Lead me to her."

And he tore in a thousand bits his entire collection of humous and posthumous works.

(Narrative to be continued)