Act I. _Faust's_ study. The philosopher is discovered alone, seated at

a table on which an open tome lies before him. His lamp flickers in its socket. Night is about turning to dawn.

_Faust_ despairs of solving the riddle of the universe. Aged, his pursuit of science vain, he seizes a flask of poison, pours it into a crystal goblet, and is about to drain it, when, day having dawned, the cheerful song of young women on their way to work arrests him. The song dies away. Again he raises the goblet, only to pause once more, as he hears a chorus of labourers, with whose voices those of the women unite. _Faust_, beside himself at these sounds of joy and youth, curses life and advancing age, and calls upon Satan to aid him.

There is a flash of red light and out of it, up through the floor, rises _Méphistophélès_, garbed as a cavalier, and in vivid red. Alternately suave, satirical, and demoniacal in bearing, he offers to _Faust_ wealth and power. The philosopher, however, wants neither, unless with the gift also is granted youth. "Je veux la jeunesse" (What I long for is youth). That is easy for his tempter, if the aged philosopher, with pen dipped in his blood, will but sign away his soul. _Faust_ hesitates. At a gesture from _Méphistophélès_ the scene at the back opens and discloses _Marguerite_ seated at her spinning-wheel, her long blond braid falling down her back. "Ô Merveille!" (A miracle!) exclaims _Faust_, at once signs the parchment, and drains to the vision of _Marguerite_ a goblet proffered him by _Méphistophélès_. The scene fades away, the philosopher's garb drops off _Faust_. The grey beard and all other marks of old age vanish. He stands revealed a youthful gallant, eager for adventure, instead of the disappointed scholar weary of life. There is an impetuous duet for _Faust_ and _Méphistophélès_: "À moi les plaisirs" ('Tis pleasure I covet). They dash out of the cell-like study in which _Faust_ vainly has devoted himself to science.