 |
Concerning an Adventure with a Jew
|
|
|
|
Concerning an Adventure with a Jew
XXVI
It is said that the fiend and the sorcerer will not wax three penny richer in a year, and even so did it come to pass with Doctor Faustus. Much had been promised by his spirit, but much had been lies, for the Devil is the spirit of lies. Mephostophiles had once reproached Doctor Faustus, saying:
With the skill wherewith I have endowed thee thou shouldst acquire thine own wealth. Such arts as mine and thine can scarcely lose thee money. Thy years are not yet over. Only four years are past since my promise to thee that thou wouldst want neither for gold nor for goods. Why, thy meat and drink hath been brought thee from the courts of all the great potentates, all by mine art (what the spirit here states, we did already report above).
Doctor Faustus, who did not know how to disagree with these things, began to take thought and to wonder just how apt he might be in obtaining money. Not long after the spirit had told him those things, Faustus went banqueting with some good fellows and, finding himself without money, went and raised some in the Jewish quarter, accepting sixty Talers for a month's time. The money-lender, when the loan fell due, was ready to take his capital together with the usury, but Doctor Faustus was not at all of the opinion that he ought to pay anything. The fellow appeared at Faustus' house with his demand and received this answer:
Jew, I have no money. I can raise no money. But this I will do. From my body I will amputate a member, be it arm or leg, and give it thee in pawn--but it must be returned so soon as I am in money again.
The Jew (for Jews are enemies to us Christians, anyhow) pondered the matter and concluded that it must be a right 
reckless man who would place his limbs in pawn. " But still he accepted it. Doctor Faustus took a saw and, cutting off his leg withal, committed it unto the Jew (but it was only a hoax) upon the condition that it must be returned so soon as he be in money again and would pay his debt, for he would fain put the member back on. The Jew went away with the leg, well satisfied at first with his contract and agreement. But very soon he became vexed and tired of the leg, for he thought:
What good to me is a knave's leg? If I carry it home it will begin to stink. I doubt that he will be able to put it on again whole, and, besides, this pledge is a parlous thing for me, for no higher pawn can a man give than his own limb. But what profit will I have of it?
Thinking these and such like things as he crossed over a bridge, the Jew did cast the leg into the water. Doctor Faustus knew all about this of course, and three days later he summoned the Jew in order to pay and settle his account. The Jew appeared and explained his deliberations, saying he had thrown the leg away because it was of no use to anyone. Doctor Faustus immediately demanded that his pledge be returned or that some other settlement be made. The Jew was eager to be free of Faustus, and he finally had to pay him sixty Guilders more (Doctor Faustus still having his leg as before).
|
|
|
An Adventure at the Court
of the Count of Anhalt
XXVII
Faustus came upon a time to the Count of Anhalt, where he was received with all kindness and graciousness. Now this was in January, and at table he perceived that the Countess was great with child. When the evening meat had been carried away and the collation of sweets was being served, Doctor Faustus said to the Countess:
Lady, I have always heard that the greatbellied women long for diverse things to eat. I beg your Grace not to withhold from me what you would please to have.
She answered him: Truly my Lord, I will not conceal from you my present wish that it were Harvest time, and I were able to eat my fill of fresh grapes and of other fruit.
Doctor Faustus said: Gracious Lady, this is easy for me to provide. In an hour your Grace's will shall be accomplished.
Faustus now took two silver bowls and set them out before the window. When the hour was expired he reached out the window and drew in one bowl with white and red grapes which were fresh from the vine, and the other bowl full of green apples and pears, but all of a strange and exotic sort. Placing them before the Countess, he said to her:
Your Grace need have no fear to eat, for I tell you truly that they are from a foreign nation where summer is about to end, although our year is, to be sure, just beginning here.
While the Countess did eat of all the fruit with pleasure and great wonderment, the Count of Anhalt could not withhold to ask for particulars concerning the grapes and other fruit.
Doctor Faustus answered: Gracious Lord, may it please your Grace to know that the year is divided into two circles in the world, so that it is summer in Orient and Occident when it is winter here, for the Heavens are round. Now, from where we dwell the sun hath at this season withdrawn to the highest point, so that we are having short days and winter here, but at the same time it is descending upon Orient and Occident--as in Sheba, India and in the East proper. The meaning of this is that they are having summer now. They enjoy vegetables and fruit twice a year in those parts. Furthermore, gracious Lord, when it is night here, day is just dawning there. The sun hath even now betaken himself beneath the earth, and it is night; but in this very instant the sun doth run above the earth down there, and they shall have day (in likeness thereof, the sea runneth higher than the world, and if it were not obedient to God, it could inundate the world in a moment). In consideration of such knowledge, gracious Lord, I sent my spirit to that nation upon the circumference of the sea where the sun now riseth, although it setteth here. He is a flying spirit and swift, able to transform himself in the twinkling of an eye. He hath procured these grapes and fruit for us.
The Count did attend these revelations with great wonderment.
|
|
|
