39
The Crucible
Prologue: The Forest at Night
Tituba, Abigail, Betty, Susanna, Ruth, Mary, Mercy, Rev. Parris
Scene 1.
Betty’s bedroom in Rev. Parris’ home.
Tituba: My Betty be hearty soon?
Parris: Out of here!
Tituba: My Betty not gone die…
Parris: Out of my sight! Oh, my God. God help me. Betty, child, dear child, will you wake?
Open your eyes, Betty, little one.
Abigail: Uncle, Susanna Walcott’s here from Dr. Griggs.
Parris: Oh? Let her come, let her come.
Abigail: Come in, Susanna.
(Enter Susanna)
Parris: What does the doctor say, child?
Susanna: Dr. Griggs, he bid me come and tell you, Reverend, sir, that he can discover no
medicine for it in his books.
Parris: The he must search on.
Susanna: Aye, sir, he have been searching his books since he left you, but he bid me tell you that
you might look to unnatural things for the cause of it.
Parris: 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 look to medicine, and put out all
thought of unnatural causes here.
Susanna: Aye, sir. He bid me tell you.
Abigail: Speak nothing of it in the village, Susanna.
Parris: Go directly home, and speak nothing of unnatural causes.
(She leaves)
Abigail: Uncle, the rumor of witchcraft is all about. I think you’d best go down and deny it
yourself. The parlor is packed with people. I’ll sit with her.
Parris: And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing
like heathen in the forest?
Abigail: Uncle, we did dance. Tell them I confessed it. But they’re speaking of
witchcraft. Betty’s not witched.
Parris: Abigail, I cannot go before the congregation when I know you have not opened with me.
What did you do in the forest?
Abigail: We danced, Uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was
frightened and then she fainted. And that’s the whole of it.
Parris: Now look you, child, I have no desire to punish you. But if you trafficked with spirits
in the forest, I must know, for surely my enemies will.
Abigail: We never conjured spirits!
Parris: Then why can she not move herself since midnight? Abigail, do you understand that I
have many enemies? There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit.
Abigail: It were only sport, Uncle!
Parris: I saw Tituba waving her arms over the fire when I came on you, and I heard a …
gibberish coming from her mouth.
Abigail: She always sings her Barbados songs when we dance.
Parris: I have given you a home, child. I have put clothes on your back. Now give me an
upright answer. Your name in the town, it is entirely white, is it not?
Abigail: Why, I am sure it is, sir. There be no blush about my name.
Parris: Abigail, is there any cause, other than what you have told me, for Goody Proctor
discharging you?
Abigail: They want slaves. Let them send to Barbados for that.
(Enter Ann Putnam)
Ann: It is a marvel, it is surely a stroke of hell upon you.
Parris: No, Goody Putnam, it-
Ann: How high did she fly? How high?
Parris: No, she never flew.
Ann: Why, it is sure she did. Mister Collins saw her going over Ingersoll’s barn, and come down light as a bird, he says. Why, her eyes is closed! That’s strange, ours is open.
Parris: Your little Ruth is sick?
Ann: I’d not call it sick. The Devil’s touch is heavier than sick.
Parris: How does your child ail?
Ann: She never waked this morning, but her eyes is open and she walks. She hears naught, sees naught, and she cannot eat. They say you’ve sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly?
Parris: A precaution only. He has much experience in all demonic arts.
Ann: He has, indeed. He found a witch in Beverly last year, let you remember that.
Parris: Goody Ann, I am certain there be no element of witchcraft here.
Ann: No witchcraft! Now, look you Mister Parris –
Parris: I pray you, leap not to witchcraft!
Ann: Reverend Parris, I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth. Believe me, sir, you never saw more hearty babies born, and yet each would wither in my arms the very night of their birth. And now, this year, my Ruth. I see her turning strange. A secret child she has become. And so I thought to send her to your Tituba—
Parris: To Tituba!
Ann: Tituba knows how to speak to the dead, Mr. Parris.
Parris: Goody Ann, it is a formidable sin to conjure the dead!
Ann: Who else can tell me what person murdered my babies?
Parris: Woman!
Ann: They were murdered, Mr. Parris, and mark this proof! Last night my Ruth were ever so close to their spirits, and now some power of darkness would stop her mouth!
Parris: Then you were conjuring spirits last night!
Abigail: Not I, sir, Tituba and Ruth.
(Enter Mercy Lewis)
Mercy: Your pardons, I thought only to see how Betty is.
Ann: Why aren’t you home? Who’s with Ruth?
Mercy: Her grandma come. She’s improved a little, I think. She gave a powerful sneeze before.
Ann: Ah, there’s a sign of life.
Mercy: I’d fear no more, goody Putnam, it were a grand sneeze. Another like it will shake her wits together.
Parris: Will you leave me now? I would pray a while alone.
Abigail: Uncle, you’ve prayed since midnight.
Ann: Now look you, sir. Let you strike against the Devil and the village will bless you for it. Come down, pray with them, they’re thirsting for your word.
Parris: I will lead them in a psalm. But let you say nothing of witchcraft.
Ann: Mercy, you go home to Ruth, do ye hear?
Mercy: Aye, Goody Putnam.
Parris: If she starts for a window, cry for me at once.
Abigail: Yes, Uncle. (They leave) How is Ruth sick?
Mercy: It’s weirdish, I know not. She seems to walk like a dead one since last night.
Abigail: Betty? Now, stop this, Betty. Sit up.
Mercy: Have you tried beating her? I gave Ruth a good one and it waked her for a moment. Here, let me have her.
Abigail: No, he’ll be coming up. Now look, you, if they be questioning us, tell them we danced. I told him as much already. And he knows Tituba conjured Ruth’s sisters to come out of the grave.
Mercy: Aye, and what more?
Abigail: He saw you naked.
Mercy: Oh, Jesus.
(Enter Mary Warren)
Mary: What’ll we do, the whole village is out.
Mercy: What’ll we do?
Mary: The whole county’s talking witchcraft. They be calling us witches, Abby.
Mercy: She means to tell, I know it.
Mary: Abby, we’ve got to tell. Witchcraft’s a hanging error. We must tell the truth. You’ll only be whipped for dancing.
Abigail: Oh, we’ll be whipped.
Mary: I never done none of it, I only looked.
Mercy: Oh, you’re a great one for looking, aren’t you, Mary Warren?
(Betty whimpers)
Abigail: Betty? Now, Betty dear, wake up. It’s Abigail. I’ll beat you, Betty! I’ve talked to your papa, and I told him everything, so there’s nothing to-
Betty: I want my mama!
Abigail: Your mama’s dead and buried!
Betty: I’ll fly to mama, let me fly!
Abigail: I told him everything, he knows we—
Betty: You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him that!
Abigail: Never say that again!
Betty: You did, you did. You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife!
Abigail: Shut it!
Betty: Mama, mama.
Abigail: Now look, you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. Let any of you breathe a word about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it. I saw Indians smash my dear parents heads on the pillow next to mine, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down. Now sit up, and stop this.
Mary: Abby, it’s a sin to conjure –
(Enter John Proctor)
Mary: Oh, I’m just going home, Mister Proctor.
Proctor: Be you deaf, Mary Warren? I forbid you to leave the house, did I not? I am looking for you more often than my cows.
Mary: I only came to see the great doings in the world.
Proctor: I’ll show you a great doing on your backside! Now get you home. My wife is waiting with your work.
(Mary exits)
Mercy: I’d best be off. I have my Ruth to watch. Good morning, Mr. Proctor.
(Mercy exits)
Proctor: So she flies, eh? The whole town’s mumbling witchcraft.
Abigail: Oh, posh. We were dancing in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped on us.
Proctor: Dancing by moonlight! You’ll be in stocks before you’re twenty.
Abigail: Give me a word, John. A soft word.
Proctor: No, Abby, I’ve not come for that.
Abigail: You come five mile to see a silly girl fly? I know you better.
Proctor: Put it out of mind, Abby.
Abigail: John, I am waiting for you every night.
Proctor: Abby, put it out of your mind.
Abigail: I know how you clutched my back behind your house, or did I dream that? I saw your face when she put me out. You loved me then and you love me now!
Proctor: Abby, that’s a wild thing to say.
Abigail: Do you tell me you have never looked up at my window?
Proctor: Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again.
Abigail: Oh, I marvel at how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be—
Proctor: You’ll speak nothing of Elizabeth!
Abigail: She is blackening my name in the village! She is a cold-
(Betty shrieks)
Abigail: Betty?
Proctor: What’s she doing?
(Enter Parris, Ann)
Parris: What happened?
Abigail: She heard the psalm, and suddenly she’s up and screaming.
Ann: The psalm! She cannot bear to hear the Lord’s name?
Parris: No!
(Enter Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey)
Parris: Rebecca, we are lost. There is sickness here, Giles Corey, so please keep the quiet!
Corey: I’ve not said a word. Is she going to fly again? I hear she flies.
(Rebecca stands by Betty)
Ann: What have you done?
Rebecca: Pray, calm yourselves. I have eleven children, and I have seen them all through their silly seasons, when it come on them to run the Devil bowlegged with their mischief. I think she’ll wake when she tires of it.
Proctor: Aye, there’s the truth of it, Rebecca.
Ann: This is no silly season. My Ruth is bewildered. She cannot eat.
Rebecca: Perhaps she is not hungered yet. Mr. Parris, I hope you are not decided to go in search of loose spirits.
Parris: A wide opinion’s running in the parrish that the Devil may be among us.
Proctor: Then let you come and call them wrong.
Parris: I have sent for Reverend Hale from Beverly.
Proctor: Are you our minister or is Rev. Hale?
Ann: There be children dying in the village!
Rebecca: Mr. Parris, I think you best send Reverend Hale back as soon as he come.
Ann: Rebecca, the doctor’s baffled.
Rebecca: If he is, then let us go to God for the cause of it.
Ann: You think it is God’s work you should never lose a child, and I all but one?
Corey: When Reverend Hale comes, you will proceed to look for signs of witchcraft here?
Proctor: Ahhhh.
Corey: Mr. Proctor, I do not think I saw you at a Sabbath meeting since snow flew.
Proctor: I have enough trouble, without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire.
Rebecca: It’s somewhat true, Mr. Parris. There are many that quail to bring their children.
Parris: I do not preach for children. There is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning.
Proctor: Can you not speak one minute without we land in hell again?
Rebecca: He does not mean that.
Proctor: I mean it solemnly, Rebecca. Well, I have a crop to sow.
(Enter Reverend Hale)
Hale: Pray you, someone take these.
Parris: Mr. Hale! It’s good to see you again. You do come prepared.
Hale: We shall need hard study, if it comes to tracking down the old boy. Are you Rebecca Nurse?
Rebecca: I am, sir. Do you know me?
Hale: We have all heard of your charities in Beverly.
Parris: Do you know Goodwife Ann Putnam?
Ann: Mr. Hale, come to our house and save our child.
Hale: Your child ails, too?
Ann: She sleeps, and yet she walks. She cannot eat.
Hale: Cannot eat? Do you also have afflicted children?
Parris: No, these are farmers. John Proctor –
Corey: He don’t believe in witches.
Proctor: I never spoke on witches one way or the other. Will you come, Giles?
Corey: No, John, I think not. I have some questions of my own to ask this fellow.
Proctor: I’ve heard you be a sensible man, Mr. Hale. I hope you leave some of it in Salem.
(Proctor exits)
Parris: Will you look at my daughter, sir? She tried to leap out the window, waving her arms as though she’d fly.
Ann: She cannot bear to hear the Lord’s name, Mr. Hale. That’s a sure sign of witchcraft.
Hale: No, we cannot look to superstition in this. We must judge nothing beforehand. Now sir, what were your first warning of strangeness?
Parris: Sir, I discovered her and my niece Abby, and some other girls dancing in the forest last night.
Hale: You permit dancing?
Parris: No, it were secret.
Ann: Mr. Parris’ slave Tituba have knowledge of conjuring, sir.
Parris: We cannot be sure of that, Goody Ann.
Ann: I know it. I sent my Ruth to learn from Tituba who murdered her sisters.
Rebecca: Good Ann! You sent a child to conjure the dead?
Ann: Let God blame me, not you, Rebecca.