The Crucible

lines 4 rev parris

Tituba: My Betty be hearty soon?

Out of here!

Tituba: My Betty not goin’ die…

Out of my sight! Out of my… Oh, my God! God help me! Betty. Child. Dear child. Will you wake, will you open up your eyes! Betty, little one…

ABIGAIL: Uncle? Susanna Walcott’s here from Doctor Griggs.

Oh? The doctor. Let her come, let her come.

ABIGAIL. Come in, Susanna.

What does the doctor say, child?

SUSANNA. Dr. Griggs he bid me come and tell you, Reverend sir, that he cannot discover no medicine for it in his books.

Then he must search on.

SUSANNA. …that you might look to unnatural things for the cause of it.

No—no. There be no unnatural causes here. Tell him I have sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly, and Mister Hale will surely confirm that. Let him to medicine, and put out all thought of unnatural causes here. There be none.

ABIGAIL. Speak nothin of it in the village, Susanna.

Go directly home and speak nothin of unnatural causes.

ABIGAIL. …The parlor’s packed with people, sir. I’ll sit with her.

And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece. Discovered dancing like heathen in the forest?!

Abigail: …of witchcraft; Betty’s not witched.

Abigail, I cannot go before the congregation when I know you have not opened with me. What did you do with her in the forest?

Abigail: …and there’s the whole of it.

Child. Sit you down.

Abigail: I would never hurt Betty, I love her dearly, I…

Now look you, child—I have no desire to punish you; that will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest, I must know it, for surely my enemies will, and they’ll ruin me with it…

Abigail: But we never conjured spirits.

Then why can she not move herself since midnight? This child is desperate! It must come out—my enemies will bring it out. Let me know what you done there. Abigail, do you understand that I have many enemies?

Abigail: I know it, Uncle.

There is a faction that is to drive me from my pulpit. Do you understand that?

Abigail: I think so, sir.

Now then—in the midst of such disruption, my own household is discovered to be the very center of some obscene practice. Abominations are done in the forest.

Abigail: It were only sport, Uncle!

I saw Tituba waving her arms over the fire when I came on you; why were she doing that? And I heard a screeching and gibberish comin’ from her mouth…

Abigail: She always sings her Barbados songs, and we dance.

I cannot blink what I saw, Abigial—for my enemies will not blink it. I saw a dress lying in the grass.A

Abigail: A dress?

Aye, a dress. And I thought I saw a… someone naked running through the trees!

Abigail: NO one was naked! You mistake yourself, Uncle!

I saw it! Now tell me true, Abigail. Now my ministry’s at stake; my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life… Whatever abomination you have done, give me all of it now, for I dare not be taken unaware when I go before them down there.

Abigail: There is nothin’ more. I swear it, Uncle.

Abigail, I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when there must be some good respect for me in the parish, you compromise my very character. I have given you a home, child, I have put clothes upon your back—now give me an upright answer:—your name in the town—it is entirely white, is it not?

Abigail: …be no blush about my name

Abigail, is there any other cause than you have told me, for Goody Proctor dischargin’ you? IT has troubled me that you are now seven months out of their house, and in all this time no other family has ever called for your service.

Abigail: …I will not black my face for any of them!

No—no, I cannot have anyone. Why, Goody Putnam, come in.

ANN: surely a stroke of hell upon you…

No, Goody Putnam, it is…

ANN: How high did she fly, how high?

No—no, she never flew…

ANN: …come down light as a bird, he says!

Now, look you, Goody Putnam; she never… Oh, good morning, Mister Putnam

PUTNAM: It is a providence the thing is out now! IT is a providence.

What’s out, sir, what’s”

ANN: Why, that’s strange. Ours is open.

Your little Ruth is sick?

ANN: …it’s death drivin’ into them forked and hoofed

Oh, pray not! Why, how does your child ail?

PUTNAM: They say you’ve sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly?

A precaution only. He has much experience in all demonic arts, and I…

ANN: He has indeed, and found a witch in Beverly last year, and let you remember that.

Now, Goody Ann, they only thought that were a witch, and I am certain there be no element of witchcraft here.

PUTNAM: No witchcraft! Now look you, Mister Parris…

Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you, you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.

PUTNAM: …there are hurtful, vengeful spirits layin’ hands on these children.

But Thomas, you cannot…

ANN: And so I thought to send her to your Tituba- (CUT OFF)

To Tituba! What may Tituba…?

ANN: Tituba knows how to speak to the dead, Mister Parris.

Goody Ann, it is a formidable sin to conjure up the dead!

ANN: …but who else may surely tell us what person murdered my babies.

Woman!

PUTNAM: …Ley your enemies make of it what they will, you cannot blink it more.

(to Abigail) Then you were conjuring spirits last night.

ABIGIAL: Not I, sir, not I. Tituba and Ruth.

Now I am undone.

PUTNAM: You are not undone. Let you take hold here. Wait for no one to charge you—declare it yourself. You have discovered witchcraft…

In my house? In my house, Thomas? They will topple me with this! They will make of it a…

MERCY: I’d fear no more, Goody Putnam, it were a grand sneeze; another like it will shake her wits together, I’m sure.

Will you leave me now, Thomas, I would pray a while alone…

ABIGAIL: Uncle, you’ve prayed since midnight. Why do you not go down and…?

No—no. I’ll wait till Mister Hale arrives.

PUTNAM: …surely you’ll pray with them.

I have no stomach for disputation this morning. I will lead them in a psalm. But let you say nothing of witchcraft yet. I will not discuss it. The cause is yet unknown. I have had enough contention since I came, I want no more.

MERCY: Aye, mum.

(Moving to exit) If she starts for the window, cry for me at once.

ABIGIAL: Yes, uncle

There is a terrible power in her arms today. (exit)

ABIGIAL: …John, pity me, pity me! …Betty?

(rush in to Betty) What happened? What are you doing to her! Betty!

ANN: The psalm—she cannot bear to hear the lord’s name!

No, God forbid…

ANN: When they cannot bear to hear the name of..

Rebecca, Rebecca, come to her… we’re lost, she suddenly cannot bear to hear the Lord’s name. (get up and out of her way) There is hard sickness here, Giles Corey, so please to keep the quiet.

REBECCA: …not decided to go in search of loose spirits. I’ve heard promise of that outside…

A wide opinion’s running in the parish that the Devil may be among us, and I would satisfy them that they are wrong.

PROCTOR: …did you consult the wardens of the church before you called this minister to look for devils?

He is not coming to look for devils!

PROCTOR: …There are many others who stay away from church these days because he hardly ever mention God any more.

Why, that’s a drastic charge.

REBECCA: It’s somewhat true; there are many that quail to bring their children…

I do not preach for children, Rebecca. It is not the children who are unmindful of their obligations towards this ministry. Where is my wood? My contract provides I be supplied with all my firewood. I am waiting since November for a stick, and even in November I had to show my frost-bitten hands like some London beggar!

COREY: You are allowed six pounds a a year to but your wood, Mister Parris.

I am paid little enough without I spend six pound on firewood. The salary is sixty-six pound, Mister Proctor! I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College.A

COREY: Aye, and well-instructed in mathematics!

Mister Corey, you will look far for a man of my kind at sixty pound a year! I am not used to this poverty; I left a thrifty business in their Barbados to serve the Lord. I do not fathom it, why am I persecuted here?! I cannot offer one proposition but there be a howling riot of argument. I have often wondered if the Devil be in it somewhere, I cannot understand you people otherwise.P

PROCTOR: Mister Parris, you are the first minister ever did demand the deed to this house —

I am your third preacher in seven years. I do not wish to be put out like the cat, whenever some majority feels the whim. You people seem not to comprehend that a minister is the Lord’s man in the parish; a minister is not to be so lightly crossed and contradicted…A

PUTNAM: Aye!

There is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning!

PROCTOR: Can you speak one minute without we land in hell again? I am sick of hell!

It is not for you to say what is good for you to hear!

PROCTOR: I may speak my heart, I think!

What, are we Quakers? We are not Quakers here yet, Mister Proctor. And you may tell that to your followers!P

PROCTOR: My followers!

There is a party in this church; I am not blind; there is a faction and a party.

COREY: I’ve changed my opinion of this man. Mister Parris, I beg your pardon. I never thought you had so much iron in you.

Why, thank you, Giles.

HALE: (enters) Pray you, someone take these!

(crossing to him, taking books) Mister Hale! Oh, it’s good to see you again! My, they’re heavy!

HALE: They must be, they are weighted with authority.

Well, you do come prepared!

HALE: …we have all heard of your great charities in Beverly.

Do you know this gentleman? Mister Thomas Putnam. And his good wife Ann.

HALE: Cannot eat! Do you men also have afflicted children?

(throwing shade at proctor) No, no, these are farmers. John Proctor…

PROCTOR: …I hope you’ll leave some of it in Salem.

Will you look at my daughter, sir? (cross to her) She has tried to leap out the window; we discovered her this morning on the high road, waving her arms as though she’d fly.

HALE: …believe me if I should find no trace of hell in this.

It is agreed, sir—it is agreed—we will abide by your judgement.

HALE: Now, sir, what were your first warning of this strangeness?

Why, sir… I discovered her… and my niece Abigail and ten or twelve of the other girls, dancing in the forest last night.

HALE: You permit dancing?!

No—no, it were secret…

ANN: Mister Parris’ slave has knowledge of conjuring, sir.

We cannot be sure of that, Goody Ann…

ANN: …work to lose seven children before they live a day?

Sssh!

ANN: Aye.

What book is this?

Rebecca: I think I’ll go then. I am too old for this.

Why, Rebecca, we may open up the boil of all our troubles today!

REBECCA: Let us hope for that. I go to god for you, sir.

I hope you do not mean we go to Satan here!

HALE: …Do you remember my two little girls in Beverly?

How can it be the Devil? Why would he choose my house to strike?

ABIGAIL: Why—common dancing is all.

I think I ought to say that I—I saw a kettle in the grass where they were dancing.

ABIGAIL: That frog jumped in, we never put it in!

A frog, Abby!!

ABIGAIL: I never called him! Tituba called him!

She called the devil!

HALE: I should like to speak with Tituba.

Goody Ann, will you bring her up?

Abigial: She makes me drink blood!

Blood!!

ABIGAIL: …she makes me laugh at prayer!

She have often laughed at prayer!

TITUBA: I don’t compact with the Devil!

You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whit you to your death, Tituba!

HALE: …perhaps another person in the village? Someone you know.

Who came with him?

PUTNAM: Sarah Good? Did you ever see Sarah Good with him? —or Osburn?

Was it man or woman who came with him?

TITUBA: Was… was woman.

What woman? A woman, you said. What woman?T

TITUBA: It was black dark, and I…

You could see him, why coudl you not see her?

TITUBA: Well, they was always talking, they was always runnin’ round and carryin’ on.

You mean out of Salem? Salem witches?

TITUBA: There was four. There was four.

Who? Who? Their names, their names!

TITUBA: Oh, how many times he bid me kill you, Mister Parris!

Kill me!

TITUBA: And I look… and there was Goody Good!

Sarah Good!

BETTY: I saw George Jacob’s with the devil! I saw Goody Howe with the devil!

She speaks. She speaks!

DANFORTH: Who is this man?

Giles Corey, sir, and a more contentious…

NURSE: …but you are deceived.

(Turn 2 warren) Mary Warren! What, what are you about here?

PROCTOR: John Proctor, sir. Elizabeth Proctor is my wife.

Beware this man, Your Excellency, this man is mischief.

PROCTOR: We have not.

(Lean on desk) They’ve come to overthrow the our, sir! This man is…

PROCTOR: …lived so long with such upright reputation, and…

Do you read the gospel, Mister Proctor?

PROCTOR: I read the Gospel.

(smugly) I think not, or you should surely know that Cain were an upright man and yet he did kill Abel.

DANFORTH: Then your purpose is somewhat larger?

(Triumphantly) He’s come to overthrow this court, Your Honor!

PROCTOR: …and my wife, and Martha Corey

(Mocking) Their good opinion!

FRANCIS: Ninety-one, your excellency!

These people should be summoned for questioning!

NURSE: …harm would come to them for signing this.

This is a clear attack upon the court!

HALE: Is every defense an attack upon the court? Can no one…?

All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courses in Salem! (Point to list) These people are gloomy for it— And I think you will want to know, from each and every one of them, what discontents them with you!

COREY: …I had a white mare that time, and this fellow come to borrow the mare—

ENTRANCE (with Putnam)

PROCTOR: …he has the story in confidence, sir, and he…

The Devil lives on such confidences! Without confidences there could be no conspiracy, Your Honor!