Mephisto Toasts Tea Cakes with Faust

M : My dear friend Faust, I'm not at all sure that fire is hot enough.

F : Ah, but Mephisto, how hot would you like it to be?

M : Possibly just hot enough to singe the corners of that newspaper over there.

F : You seem to have moved that newspaper a little nearer my friend.

M : Yes, I do that occasionally, but only when I feel the need to cause utter destruction.

F : Utter destruction? From burning one newspaper while toasting teacakes by the fire?

M : Well, first it's one newspaper, but there's no knowing where it could end.

F : Mephisto, I do believe you are existentialising again, aren't you?

M : No, no, dear, ill-informed Faust, I am being a little ethereal perhaps but I rarely existentialise, I find it ruins my train of thought.

F : Well, so let's burn the newspaper and see what happens then, shall we? Let's see who's wrong and who's right.

M : Dear, dear Faust, shake the crumbs from your cordouroy's and poke the fork a little further into the fire please.

F : Hmm, I do believe they're nearly done, perhaps you would get the butter from the fridge dear Mephisto?

M : Surely, dear Faust.

F : Should we pray before eating?

M : I think not.

F : I'm now wondering if they're just a little burnt.

Mephisto Asks Faust about the Pope

Mephisto (M) :Faust, my dear friend, answer me this... Is your wife still friendly with the Pope?

Faust (F) : Ah, that was a while ago now Mephisto, I'll have to ask her.

M : No matter, I only wanted to ask what you thought about the man but I know your wife carries a lot of sway.

F : Ah, my wife is divorcing me Mephisto and so I no longer listen to her but, the Pope, hmm, well now let me see, what did you want to know?

M : To be honest with you Faust, my dear colleague, it wasn't about the Pope directly, it was more about Christianity, do you know anything about that?

F : Well, yes, I used to but then I met you.

M : Perhaps I could call upon you to think back a bit?

F : Well, of course you may.

M : What I was wondering was this, do you think the Inquisition was over-rated?

F : Over-rated in what way?

M : Well, for example, do you think that the Christians were a bit unreasonable during that period? Do you think they offered the world anything other than inhumanity and evil?

F : Ah, dear Mephisto, I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that since I have no soul but I would suggest you ask the Pope, he knows quite a bit about it I'm led to believe.

M : Well, yes, I might just do that but I can't help feeling that he's got himself into a bit of a pickle at the moment and won't have time to answer my questions which may, or may not, be part of an agenda-shifting plan.

F : I don't know Mephisto, personally I'm off to have lunch now.