The Crucible Page #7

but witchcraft is an invisible crime.

Therefore, who may witness it?

The witch, of course, and the victim.

Now, we cannot expect the witch

to accuse herself, can we?

Therefore, we may only rely upon

her victims...

and the children certainly testify.

Therefore, what is left for a lawyer

to bring out?

But this one claims...

the girls are not truthful.

But that is precisely

what I am about to consider.

What more may you ask of me?

Mr. Herrick, bring the children here.

I should like to question Mary.

Will you be silent?

Enter.

Children...

the Bible... damns all liars.

Your friend Mary Warren...

has given us a deposition stating...

that she never saw familiar spirits...

and was never attacked...

by any manifest of the devil.

She claims, as well, that you never saw

these things either...

and that you are all pretending.

Now, it may be

that Satan has conquered Mary...

and sent her here today...

to distract our sacred purpose.

If so...

her neck will break for it.

But if she speak true...

I bid you all confess your pretense

now...

for a quick confession

will go easier with you.

Abigail Williams.

- Is there any truth in this?

- No, sir.

The poppet that were discovered

in the Proctor house...

She claims she made it in the court...

and that you saw her stick the needle

into it for safekeeping.

That is a lie, sir.

Did you see Goody Proctor's spirit...

and did she stab you as you have

charged?

Goody Proctor sent her spirit,

and it stabbed me.

If she is lying, it can only mean...

she would see your wife hanged.

She would wish that, sir.

This child would murder your wife?

It is not a child!

Mary, tell the Governor how she

led you to dance in the woods.

This man is blackening my

name since I came to Salem!

- What is this dancing?

- Mr. Parris discovered them himself...

in the dead of night,

and they have danced there naked.

Naked?

When I first arrived from Beverly,

Mr. Parris told me that.

I did not say they were naked!

But she have danced?

Aye.

Mary Warren.

If you will permit me, Excellency.

Mary...

in the court, you would faint...

when people accused of witchery sent

their spirit out to choke you.

It were pretense, sir.

But your skin turned icy and pale.

They are all marvelous pretenders.

Then can she pretend to faint now?

Why not?

If it were all pretense, pretend now.

Come.

Turn cold, Mary.

Faint.

I cannot faint now.

Can you not pretend it?

I have no sense of it now.

Why? What is lacking now?

Is it that we have

no afflicting spirit loose...

but at the trials, there were some?

I never saw no spirits!

Then faint by your own will.

Come. Do it.

I can't.

Are you protecting Satan? Confess!

You did see attacking spirits!

No! I only thought I saw them,

but I did not!

Your Honor,

I heard the other girls screaming...

and you-you seemed to believe them...

and then the whole world cried,

"Spirits! Spirits!"

And I...

Come, Mary.

Child...

I must ask you to search your heart.

Is it possible the spirits you have seen

may be illusion only?

- Some sort of...

- Why, this is a base question.

I only ask you to consider.

What shall I consider? Have I seen

my blood running out of my flesh...

or have I not?

Is this my reward for risking my life...

to be mistrusted and

questioned and denied?

Oh, my child, I do not mistrust.

Beware, Mr. Danforth.

Do you think yourself so mighty the

devil may not turn your wits?

What say you?

Satan is no respecter

of persons, Mr. Danforth.

He may corrupt anyone!

Oh!

I feel the power of hell in this room.

Oh, Abby, no.

A wind.

A cold wind.

Your Honor, I freeze.

They're pretending.

She's cold as ice, Your Honor.

Mary, stop this wind!

- Do you witch her?

- No.

- Take back your spirit.

- Let me go! I cannot do it!

Oh, Heavenly Father, take away

this torment!

Whore!

How do you call heaven?

Proctor! For God's sakes, man!

- Here's a whore, Mr. Danforth!

- He lies!

She'll stab me with a scream,

but she is a whore!

This will not pass.

You will prove this.

I have known her, sir!

I have known her.

In what time? What place?

In the proper place,

where my beasts are bedded!

My wife, my dear, good wife...

saw her for what she is...

and put her out on the high road...

and being what she is...

a lump of vanity...

she thinks to dance with me...

on my wife's grave, and well she might.

God help me!

I lusted!

For this is

a whore's vengeance now.

I place myself entirely in your hands.

Do you deny every scrap and speck

of this?

If I must answer that question...

I will leave and never come back...

and I will tell the world that Satan

has won Salem!

Your Honor...

what man will cast away his good name?

What look do you give me?

I will not have such look!

You will not leave this room.

Mr. Parris, go to the jail...

and bring Goodwife Proctor here.

Excellency, this is all a snare.

Bring her.

Now...

we shall touch the bottom of

this swamp.

Your wife, Mr. Proctor,

you say is an honest woman.

In her life, sir, she have never lied.

And when she put this girl out of

your house...

she put her out for a harlot...

and knew of her a harlot?

Aye, sir, she knew her for a harlot.

If she tell me, child,

it were for harlotry...

may God spread His mercy on you.

Halt!

Turn your back.

Turn your back.

Do likewise.

No one may speak...

or gesture aye or nay.

Mr. Cheever...

report this testimony in all exactness.

Enter.

You will look at me only,

Goody Proctor...

in my eyes only.

We are informed that at one time...

you dismissed your

servant, Abigail Williams.

Why? For what cause?

Need not look at your husband.

The answer is in your memory.

Why did you dismiss Abigail Williams?

She dissatisfied me... and my husband.

In what way dissatisfied you?

She were...

Look at me.

Was she slovenly?

Lazy?

What was it?

Your Honor...

My husband...

is a good and righteous man.

He's never drunk or wasting his time

at the shovelboard...

but I were a long time sick last year...

and I thought I saw him turning

from me, and this girl...

Look at me.

Aye, sir.

What of Abigail Williams?

I came to think he fancied her.

And so one night, I lost my wits,

I think...

and put her out on the high road.

And did he indeed turn from you?

He...

To your own knowledge...

has John Proctor committed the

crime of lechery?

Answer my question.

Is your husband an adulterer?

No, sir.

- Remove her.

- Elizabeth, I've confessed it.

- Oh, God.

- This should stop now!

She spoke nothing of lechery.

It is a natural lie to tell!

Judge Danforth, I cannot shut my

conscience to it. I believe this man!

Private vengeancy is working through

this testimony!

By my oath to heaven, this girl is false!

Aah!

What is it?

What's there?

It's on the beam, beneath the rafter.

Why do you come, yellow bird?

But you cannot want to tear my face!

Envy is a deadly sin, Mary!

Oh, this is a black art, to change

your shape!

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