Without warning or hesitation, Proctor leaps at Abigail and, grabbing her by the hair, pulls her to her feet. She screams in pain. Danforth, astonished, cries, “What are you about?” and Hathorne and Parris call, “Take your hands off her!” and out of it all comes Proctor’s roaring voice.
Proctor: How do you call Heaven! Whore! Whore!
Herrick breaks Proctor from her.
Herrick: John!
Danforth: Man! Man, what do you –
Proctor, breathless and in agony: It is a whore!
Danforth, dumfounded: You charge – ?
Abigail: Mr. Danforth, he is 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, trembling, his life collapsing about him: I have known her, sir. I have known her.
Danforth: You – you are a lecher?
Francis, horrified: John, you cannot say such a –
Proctor: Oh, 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, dumfounded: In – in what time? In what place?
Proctor, his voice about to break, and his shame great: 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 my house, sir. He has to clamp his jaw to keep from weeping. A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you – see her what she is. My wife, my dear good wife, took this girl soon after, sir, and put her out on the highroad. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sir – He is being overcome. Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. Angrily against himself, he turns away from the Governor for a moment. Then, as though to cry out is his only means of speech left: She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, t 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, blanched, in horror, turning to Abigail: You deny every scrap and tittle of this?
Abigail: If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again!
Danforth seems unsteady.
Proctor: l have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name – you will believe me, Mr. Danforth! My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!
Abigail, stepping up to Danforth: What look do you give me? Danforth cannot speak. I’ll not have such looks! She turns and starts for the door.
Danforth: You will remain where you are! Herrick steps into her path. She comes up short, fire in her eyes. Mr. Parris, go into the court and bring Goodwife Proctor out.
Parris, objecting: Your Honor, this is all a –
Danforth, sharply to Parris: Bring her out! And tell her not one word of what’s been spoken here. And let you knock before you enter. Parris goes out. Now we shall touch the bottom of this swamp. To Proctor: 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.
Danforth: And when she put this girl out of your house, she put her out for a harlot?
Proctor: Aye, sir.
Danforth: And knew her for a harlot?
Proctor: Aye, sir, she knew her for a harlot.
Danforth: Good then. To Abigail: And if she tell me, child,it were for harlotry, may God spread His mercy on you! There is a knock. He calls to the door. Hold! To Abigail: Turn your back. Turn your back. To Proctor: Do likewise. Both turn their backs - Abigail with indignant slowness. Now let neither of you turn to face Goody Proctor. No one in this room is to speak one word, or raise a gesture aye or nay. He turns toward the door, calls: Enter! The door opens. Elizabeth enters with Parris. Parris leaves her. She stands alone, her eyes looking for Proctor. Mr. Cheever, report this testimony in all exactness. Are you ready?
Cheever: Ready, sir.
Danforth: Come here, woman. Elizabeth comes to him, glanc-ing at Proctor's back. Look at me only, not at your husband. In my eyes only.
Elizabeth, faintly: Good, sir.
Danforth: We are given to understand that at one time you dismissed your servant, Abigail Williams.
Elizabeth: That is true, sir.
Danforth: For what cause did you dismiss her? Slight pause. Then Elizabeth tries to glance at Proctor. You will look in my eyes only and not at your husband. The answer is in your memory and you need no help to give it to me. Why did you dismiss Abigail Williams?
Elizabeth, not knowing what to say, sensing a situation, wetting her lips to stall for time: She – dissatisfied me. Pause. And my husband.
Danforth: In what way dissatisfied you?
Elizabeth: She were – She glances at Proctor for a cue.
Danforth: Woman, look at me! Elizabeth does. Were she slovenly? Lazy? What disturbance did she cause?
Elizabeth: Your Honor, I – in that time I were sick. And I – My husband is a good and righteous man. He is never drunk as some are, nor wastin’ his time at the shovelboard, but always at his work. But in my sickness – you see, sir, I were a long time sick after my last baby, and I thought I saw my husband somewhat turning from me. And this girl – She turns to Abigail.
Danforth: Look at me.
Elizabeth: Aye, sir. Abigail Williams – She breaks up.
Danforth: What of Abigail Williams?
Elizabeth: I came to think he fancied her. And so one night I lost my wits, I think, and put her out on the highroad.
Danforth: Your husband – did he indeed turn from you?
Elizabeth, in agony: My husband – is a godly man, sir.
Danforth: Then he did not turn from you.
Elizabeth, starting to glance at Proctor: He –
Danforth, reaches out and holds her face, then: Look at me! To your own knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery? In a crisis of indecision she cannot speak, Answer my question! Is your husband a lecher!
Elizabeth, faintly: No, sir.
Danforth: Remove her, Marshal.
Proctor: Elizabeth, tell the truth!
Danforth: She has spoken. Remove her!
Proctor, crying out: Elizabeth, I have confessed it!
Elizabeth: Oh, God! The door closes behind her.
Proctor: She only thought to save my name!
Hale: Excellency, it is a natural lie to tell; I beg you, stop now before another is condemned! l may shut my conscience to it no more – private vengeance is working through this testimony! From the beginning this man has struck me true. By my oath to Heaven, I believe him now, and I pray you call back his wife before we –
Danforth: She spoke nothing of lechery, and this man has lied!