Danforth, with great relief and gratitude: Praise to God, man, praise to God; you shall be blessed in Heaven for this. Cheever has hurried to the bench with pen, ink, and paper. Proctor watches him. Now then, let us have it. Are you ready, Mr. Cheever?
Proctor, with a cold, cold horror at their efficiency: Why must it be written?
Danforth: Why, for the good instruction of the village, Mister; this we shall post upon the church door! To Parris, urgently: Where is the marshal?
Parris, runs to the door and calls down the corridor: Marshal! Hurry!
Danforth: Now, then, Mister, will you speak slowly, and directly to the point, for Mr. Cheever’s sake. He is on record now, and is really dictating to Cheever, who writes. Mr. Proctor, have you seen the Devil in your life? Proctor’s jaws lock. Come, man, there is light in the sky; the town waits at the scaffold; I would give out this news. Did you see the Devil?
Proctor: I did.
Parris: Praise God!
Danforth: And when he come to you, what were his demand? Proctor is silent. Danforth helps. Did he bid you to do his work upon the earth?
Proctor: He did.
Danforth: And you bound yourself to his service? Danforth turns, as Rebecca Nurse enters, with Herrick helping to support her. She is barely able to walk. Come in, come in, woman!
Rebecca, brightening as she sees Proctor: Ah, John! You are well, then, eh?
Proctor turns his face to the wall.
Danforth: Courage, man, courage – let her witness your good example that she may come to God herself. Now hear it, Goody Nurse! Say on, Mr, Proctor. Did you bind yourself to the Devil’s service?
Rebecca, astonished: Why, John!
Proctor, through his teeth, his face turned from Rebecca: I did.
Danforth: Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin’ to keep this conspiracy any further. Will you confess yourself with him?
Rebecca: Oh, John – God send his mercy on you!
Danforth: I say, will you confess yourself, Goody Nurse?
Rebecca: Why, it is a lie, it is a lie; how may I damn myself? I cannot, I cannot.
Danforth: Mr. Proctor. When the Devil came to you did you see Rebecca Nurse in his company? Proctor is silent. Come, man, take courage – did you ever see her with the Devil?
Proctor, almost inaudibly: No.
Danforth, now sensing trouble, glances at John and goes to the table, and picks up a sheet – the list of condemned.
Danforth: Did you ever see her sister, Mary Easty, with the Devil?
Proctor: No, I did not.
Danforth, his eyes narrow on Proctor: Did you ever see Martha Corey with the Devil?
Proctor: I did not.
Danforth, realizing, slowly putting the sheet down: Did you ever see anyone with the Devil?
Proctor: I did not.
Danforth: Proctor, you mistake me. I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie. You have most certainly seen some person with the Devil. Proctor is silent. Mr. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw this woman with the Devil.
Proctor: Then it is proved. Why must I say it?
Danforth: Why “must” you say it! Why, you should rejoice to say it if your soul is truly purged of any love for Hell!
Proctor: They think to go like saints. I like not to spoil their names.
Danforth, inquiring, incredulous: Mr. Proctor, do you think they go like saints?
Proctor, evading: This woman never thought she done the Devil’s work.
Danforth: Look you, sir. I think you mistake your duty here. It matters nothing what she thought – she is convicted of the unnatural murder of children, and you for sending your spirit out upon Mary Warren. Your soul alone is the issue here, Mister, and you will prove its whiteness or you cannot live in a Christian country. Will you tell me now what persons conspired with you in the Devil’s company? Proctor is silent. To your knowledge was Rebecca Nurse ever –
Proctor: I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. Crying out, with hatred: I have no tongue for it.
Hale, quickly to Danforth: Excellency, it is enough he confess himself. Let him sign it, let him sign it.
Parris, feverishly: It is a great service, sir. It is a weighty name; it will strike the village that Proctor confess. I beg you, let him sign it. The sun is up, Excellency!
Danforth, considers; then with dissatisfaction: Come, then, sign your testimony. To Cheever: Give it to him. Cheever goes to Proctor, the confession and a pen in hand. Proctor does not look at it. Come, man, sign it.
Proctor, after glancing at the confession: You have all witnessed it – it is enough.
Danforth: You will not sign it?
Proctor: You have all witnessed it; what more is needed?
Danforth: Do you sport with me? You will sign your name or it is no confession, Mister! His breast heaving with agonized breathing, Proctor now lays the paper down and signs his name.
Parris: Praise be to the Lord!
Proctor has just finished signing when Danforth reaches for the paper. But Proctor snatches it up, and now a wild terror is rising in him, and a boundless anger.
Danforth, perplexed, but politely extending his hand: If you please, sir.
Proctor: No.
Danforth, as though Proctor did not understand: Mr. Proctor, I must have –
Proctor: No, no. I have signed it, You have seen me. It is done! You have no need for this.
Parris: Proctor, the village must have proof that –
Proctor: Damn the village! I confess to God, and God has seen my name on this! It is enough!
Danforth: No, sir, it is –
Proctor: You came to save my soul, did you not? Here! I have confessed myself; it is enough!
Danforth: You have not con–
Proctor: I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!
Danforth: Mr. Proctor –
Proctor: You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba, I am John Proctor! You will not use me! It is no part of salva-tion that you should use me!
Danforth: I do not wish to –
Proctor: I have three children – how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?
Danforth: You have not sold your friends –
Proctor: Beguile me not! I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence!
Danforth: Mr. Proctor, I must have good and legal proof that you –
Proctor: You are the high court, your word is good enough! Tell them I confessed myself; say Proctor broke his knees and wept like a woman; say what you will, but my name cannot –
Danforth, with suspicion: It is the same, is it not? If I report it or you sign to it?
Proctor – he knows it is insane: No, it is not the same! What others say and what I sign to is not the same!
Danforth: Why? Do you mean to deny this confession when you are free? Proctor: I mean to deny nothing!
Danforth: Then explain to me, Mr. Proctor, why you will not let –
Proctor, with a cry of his whole soul: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!
Danforth, pointing at the confession in Proctor’s hand: Is that document a lie? If it is a lie I will not accept it! What say you? I will not deal in lies, Mister! Proctor is motionless. You will give me your honest confession in my hand, or I cannot keep you from the rope. Proctor does not reply. Which way do you go, Mister?
His breast heaving, his eyes staring, Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect.
Danforth: Marshal!
Parris, hysterically, as though the tearing paper were his life: Proctor, Proctor!
Hale: Man, you will hang! You cannot!
Proctor, his eyes fully of tears: I can. And there’s your first marvel, that I can. You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs. Elizabeth, in a burst of terror, rushes to him and weeps against his hand. Give them no tear! Tears pleasure them! Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it! He has lifted her, and kisses her now with great passion.
Rebecca: Let you fear nothing! Another judgment waits us all!
Danforth: Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for these, weeps for corruption! He sweeps out past them. Herrick starts to lead Rebecca, who almost collapses, but Proctor catches her, and she glances up at him apologetically.
Rebecca: I’ve had no breakfast.
Herrick: Come, man.
Herrick escorts them out, Hathorne and Cheever behind them. Elizabeth stands staring at the empty doorway.
Parris, in deadly fear, to Elizabeth: Go to him, Goody Proctor! There is yet time!
From outside a drumroll strikes the air. Parris is startled. Elizabeth jerks about toward the window.
Parris: Go to him! He rushes out the door, as though to hold back his fate. Proctor! Proctor!
Again, a short burst of drums.
Hale: Woman, plead with him! He starts to rush out the door, and then goes back to her. Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. She avoids his eyes, and moves to the window. He drops to his knees. Be his helper! What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him, take his shame away!
Elizabeth, supporting herself against collapse, grips the bars of the window, and with a cry: He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!
The final drumroll crashes, then heightens violently. Hale weeps in frantic prayer, and the new sun is pouring in upon her face, and the drums rattle like bones in the morning air.
THE CURTAIN FALLS