The Crucible Page #5

None can any longer doubt...

that powers of darkness

are attacking this village.

We have no knowledge in that line,

Mr. Hale.

I thought, sir...

to put some questions as to the

Christian character of this house...

if you'll permit me.

We have no fear of questions, sir.

Come in.

In the Book of Record Mr. Parris keeps...

I note that you are come

to Sabbath meeting...

but 26 time in 17 month.

Sit down, Mr. Hale.

I'll be straight with you.

No minister before Parris ever demanded

the deed to the house we lend him.

Since we built the meetinghouse,

there were pewter candlesticks...

upon the pulpit...

but Mr. Parris came, week after week...

preached nothing but golden

candlesticks until he had them.

I'll not deny it, sir.

When I look to heaven...

and see my money glaring at his

elbows, it hurt my prayer, sir.

It hurt my prayer.

And your children...

How comes it the last is not baptized?

I like it not that Mr. Parris

lay his hand upon my baby.

I'll not conceal it.

I see no light of God in that man.

The man's ordained.

Therefore, the light of God is in him.

What is your suspicion, Mr. Hale?

I nailed the roof upon the church.

- I hung the door.

- That's a good sign.

Maybe we are too hard on Parris...

but sure we never loved the devil here.

Do you know your Commandments,

Elizabeth?

I surely do.

I'm covenanted, sir.

There be

no mark upon my Christian life.

And you, mister?

Aye, I am sure I do.

Let you repeat them, if you will.

My Commandments?

Aye.

"Thou shall not kill.

Thou shall not steal.

"Thou shall not covet thy neighbors'

goods...

"nor make unto thee any graven image.

"Thou shall not take the name of the

Lord in vain.

"Thou shall have no other Gods before me.

"Thou shall remember the Sabbath Day

and keep it holy.

"Thou shall honor thy father and mother.

Thou shall not bear false witness. "

"Thou shall not make unto thee... "

- You said that twice.

- I know.

- Adultery, John.

- Aye.

Aye, you see, between the two of us...

we do know them all...

I think it be a small fault.

Theology, sir...

is a fortress.

No crack in

a fortress may be accounted small.

I bid you both good night then.

Mr. Hale!

Mr. Hale...

I know the children's sickness had

naught to do with witchcraft.

What's that?

Mr. Parris... he discovered them

sporting in the woods.

They were startled and took sick.

- Who told you this?

- Abigail Williams.

Abigail Williams told you it had naught

to do with witchcraft?

- She told me the night you came, sir.

- Why did you keep this?

I never knew till tonight the world

has gone mad with all this nonsense.

Mister, I have myself examined Tituba,

Sarah Good, and 26 others...

who have confessed to dealing

with the devil... they've confessed it!

And why not, when they must hang

for denying it?

- You ever thought of that?

- I have a rumor you do not believe...

there are witches in the world...

is that true?

Well, the Bible speaks of witches, so...

Sir, I am a good woman.

I know it.

If you believe that I may only

do good work in the world...

and yet be secretly bound to Satan...

then I must tell you, I do not believe it.

- You bewilder him.

- But you do believe there are witches?

If he think I am one,

then I say there are none.

You surely do not fly against the Gospels.

Question Abigail Williams about

the Gospels, not myself!

John! John!

They've taken my Martha and Rebecca!

Taken Rebecca?

On what charge?

For the supernatural murder of

Goody Putnam's babies!

Rebecca Nurse have murdered children?

Are you still believing this?

Remember, until an hour

before the devil fell...

God thought him beautiful in heaven.

I never harmed no one!

No! Never!

I never harmed no one!

Dear Rebecca!

We'll soon have you free, Martha.

Pity Cheever, not us.

He's the one going to hell.

Good evening to you,

Proctor. All.

Cheever.

- I have a warrant for your wife.

- I know nothing of this!

Who

charged her?

Why, Abigail Williams charged her.

For what crime?

On what proof?

I like not to search a man's house...

but by law, I must enter.

Will you hand me any poppets that

your wife may keep here?

I have

kept no poppets since I were a girl.

Oh. This is Mary's.

Mary, come down here.

Mary!

I had my doubts,

Proctor, but this is calamity.

- You see it, sir. 'Tis a needle.

- What signifies a needle?

The Williams girl, Abigail, today at

the tavern, she fall to the floor...

with a needle stuck two inches into

her belly...

and she testified

your wife's spirit pushed it in!

Mary, tell how this poppet came

to be in my house.

- What poppet's that, sir?

- This poppet. This poppet!

I made that in court and give

it to Goody Proctor yesterday.

Mary, a needle's been discovered

inside that poppet.

- I meant no harm by it, sir.

- You stuck it in yourself?

For safekeeping.

I must have forgot to take it out.

Child, you are quite certain

this be your natural memory?

No one might be conjuring you

to say this?

No, sir. I am entirely myself.

Let you ask Abby.

Abby sat beside me when I made it.

That girl is murder.

She must be ripped out of the world!

You heard that, Herrick.

"Ripped out of the world. "

- Out of my house!

- Now, Proctor...

And you with them!

You are a broken minister.

I promise you, if she is innocent...

If she is innocent?

Why is there never wonder if Parris

be innocent?

Or Putnam?

Or Abigail?

Are the accusers always holy now?

Were they born this morning as pure

as God's fingers?

I'll tell you what's walking Salem...

vengeance.

The little crazy children are jangling

the keys of the kingdom...

and common vengeance writes the law!

I'll not give my wife to vengeance!

John. John.

I think I must go with them.

Mary, there is bread enough for the

morning.

You will bake in the afternoon.

Heed your father.

Help him.

- Yes, Mother.

- Yes, Mother.

- I'll bring you home soon.

- Aye, John, bring me soon.

Be good, my boys.

I will fall like an ocean on that court.

Fear nothing, Elizabeth.

Let go.

Joseph, let go.

Let go, Joseph.

I will fear nothing.

How can you do this?

She has children!

Don't you touch her!

God will never forgive you!

- You'll not chain her!

- Get your hands off her!

- I'll kill you!

- In God's name, John...

let me stand to my duty...

I must chain them all!

Giles, look to those poor children!

Help them, Giles!

You are coming with me to the court

tomorrow.

You will tell the court

how that poppet come here...

and who stuck the needle in.

I cannot charge murder on Abigail.

She'll charge lechery on you,

Mr. Proctor.

- My wife will not die for me.

- I cannot do it.

Goodness will not die for me, Mary.

I will bring your guts into your

mouth, but she will not die for me!

You will tell the court what you know!

Make your peace with it!

- I can't do it!

- Peace!

I can't do it!

They'll turn on me!

Now hell and heaven grapple on

our backs...

and all our old pretense is ripped away.

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