8
DANFORTH: Abigail! I bid you now search your heart, and tell me
this—and beware of it, child, to God every soul is precious and
His vengeance is terrible on them that take life without cause. Is
it possible, child, that the spirits you have seen are illusion only,
some deception that may cross your mind when…
ABIGAIL: Why, this – this – is a base question, sir.
DANFORTH: Child, I would have you consider it –
ABIGAIL: I have been hurt, Mister Danforth; I have seen my
blood runnin‘ out! I have been near to murdered every day
because I done my duty pointing out the Devil‘s people—and
this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a…
DANFORTH: Child, I do not mistrust you….
ABIGAIL: Let you beware, Mister Danforth—think you to be so
mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits?!—beware
of it!—there is… (She shivers.)
DANFORTH: What is it, child?
ABIGAIL: (Hugs herself, cold.) I… I know not. A wind, a cold wind
has come. (Looks at Mary.)
MARY: Abby!
MERCY: Your Honor, I freeze!
PROCTOR: They‘re pretending!
HATHORNE: (Touches Abigail‘s hand.) She is cold, your Honor,
touch her!
MERCY: Mary, do you send this shadow on me?
MARY: Lord save me!
SUSANNA WALCOTT: I freeze—I freeze.
ABIGAIL: It is a wind, a wind!
MARY: Abby, don‘t do that!
DANFORTH: Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you, do
you send your spirit out?
MARY: Let me go, Mister Proctor, I cannot, I cannot…
ABIGAIL: ―Oh, Heavenly Father, take away this shadow.
PROCTOR: How do you dare call Heaven? Whore! Whore!
DANFORTH: Man! What do you – ?
PROCTOR: It is a whore.
ABIGAIL: Mister Danforth, he‘s lying!
PROCTOR: Mark her, now she‘ll suck a scream to stab me with,
but—
DANFORTH: You will prove this, this will not pass.
PROCTOR: I have known her, sir. I have known her.
DANFORTH: You… you are a lecher?
NURSE: John, you cannot say such things.
PROCTOR: Oh, Francis, Francis, I wish you had some evil in you
that you might know me! (To Danforth.) A man will not cast
away his good name. You surely know that.
DANFORTH: In – in what time? In what place?
PROCTOR: In the proper place—where my beasts are bedded.
On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to
serve me in the house, sir. A man may think God sleeps, but God
sees everything. I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you—see her
for what she is. My wife, my dear good wife took this girl soon
after, sir, and put her out on the high road. And being what she
is, a lump of vanity, sir…. (Starts to weep.) Excellency, forgive
me, forgive me. She thinks to dance with me on my wife‘s grave!
And well she might!—for I thought of her softly, God help me, I
lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat! But it is a whore‘s
vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your
hands, I know you must see it now.
DANFORTH: Abigail Williams, you deny every scrap and title of
this?
ABIGAIL: If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come
back again. (Starts to exit.)
PROCTOR: I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom
of my good name – you will believe me, Mister Danforth! My
wife is innocent.
DANFORTH: Mister Parris, go into the court and bring Goodwife
Proctor out.
PARRIS: Your Honor, this is all a –
DANFORTH: Bring her out! And tell her not one word of what’s
been spoken here. And let you knock before you enter. (Parris
exits.) Now we shall touch the bottom of this swamp. Your wife,
you say, is an honest woman?
PROCTOR: In her life, sir, she have never lied. There are them
that cannot sing, and them that cannot weep—my wife cannot
lie. I have paid much to learn it, sir.