Faustus by Chris Bush

Author:Chris Bush [Bush, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788503242
Publisher: Nick Hern Books

ACT TWO

Scene One

London, 1866.

FAUSTUS is covered head to toe in a white ash, curled in a ball, in a state of shock. Suddenly she jerks up, fully alert, with a cry.

FAUSTUS. Fire!

She looks around, disorientated.

Mephistopheles?

MEPHISTOPHELES emerges, immaculate, as always.

Water – bring water – conjure… I command you – put this fire out.

MEPHISTOPHELES. The fire is out.

FAUSTUS. Oh. Good. (Beat.) Where are we?

MEPHISTOPHELES. London, still.

FAUSTUS. London is still-?

MEPHISTOPHELES. The city survives.

FAUSTUS. And the plague?

MEPHISTOPHELES. Gone.

FAUSTUS laughs weakly, in spite of herself.

FAUSTUS. You kept your word?

MEPHISTOPHELES. You really should’ve stayed to watch. Burned most prettily. But those who survived their trial by fire found themselves clean.

FAUSTUS. You tricked me.

MEPHISTOPHELES. Only as you ordered. I am the sword you wield. Mind you don’t cut yourself.

FAUSTUS tries to stand.

FAUSTUS. I need to see my father.

A pause. MEPHISTOPHELES smiles.

No. Don’t say you let him burn.

MEPHISTOPHELES. He was nowhere near the fire when it started.

FAUSTUS. But?

MEPHISTOPHELES. Alas. He ran towards the flames – ran to find his daughter, searched high and low. And wept – oh, how he wept when he couldn’t find her.

FAUSTUS. Couldn’t find me?

MEPHISTOPHELES. Enough, you might think, to quench the burning timbers with his tears, but not enough to save him. Still, he died a Christian death.

FAUSTUS. I meant to help.

MEPHISTOPHELES. What did you do when you saw those flames? Run towards them? Call for water? What?

FAUSTUS (starts to remember). I ran.

MEPHISTOPHELES. And what did you bid me do?

FAUSTUS. Take me away.

MEPHISTOPHELES. Yes.

FAUSTUS. From all of it. Far away.

MEPHISTOPHELES. How far?

FAUSTUS (gasps). Forward.

MEPHISTOPHELES. Yes.

FAUSTUS. I didn’t… I panicked.

MEPHISTOPHELES. How far, Faustus?

FAUSTUS (disbelieving). Two hundred years. (Beat.) And I can’t go back?

MEPHISTOPHELES shakes his head.

And I did nothing to help them. So that is my true nature. Sinner after all. (Beat.) Two hundred years? And London stands. Do I have family here? I must have ancestors, I must –

MEPHISTOPHELES. You are the last of your line.

FAUSTUS. Cousins in the country – in-laws, or –

MEPHISTOPHELES. No one.

FAUSTUS. Not a soul? I looked to stand alone, so… Does he have a grave? My father – does he – ?

MEPHISTOPHELES. None that still stands.

FAUSTUS. I should go join him, I suppose, if I were decent.

Before I can do any more damage. (Genuinely curious.)

Can I die – or am I bound to serve out my full time?

MEPHISTOPHELES. Try it – find out. (Beat.) You don’t want to die, Faustus – however wretched you become.

FAUSTUS. No.

MEPHISTOPHELES. No. You are the fire, and fire has no conscience. It only consumes – transforms – takes hold.

FAUSTUS. Those are your dreams, not mine.

MEPHISTOPHELES. You may not think me a friend, but this world is to us a common enemy. Let’s have at it.

FAUSTUS. No.

MEPHISTOPHELES. Or you freed yourself for nothing.

FAUSTUS. I shan’t be a tool for your vengeance.

MEPHISTOPHELES. Tick-tock, Faustus – the clock is running down.

FAUSTUS. I have time enough – might I just live for a while?

MEPHISTOPHELES. But with no purpose?

FAUSTUS. I need something to pin me down, before I float away. And then what? Maybe I should like to burn.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.