Cheever: Good morning, majesty.
Where is Mister Parris?
Cheever: I'll fetch him.
Marshal. When did Reverend Hale arrive?
Cheever: It were midnight, I think.
What is he about here ?
Cheever: He goes among them that will hang, sir. And he prays with them. He sits with Goody Nurse now. And Mister Parris with him.
Indeed. That man have no authority to enter here. Why have you let him in?
Cheever: Why, Mister Parris command me, sir. I cannot deny him.
Fetch Mister Parris.
Hawthorne: Let you question Hale, Excellency; I should not be surprised he have been preachin' in Andover lately.
We'll come to that; speak nothin' of Andover. Parris prays with him. That's strange.
Parris: Oh, good morning, sir, thank you for coming'. I beg your pardons for wakin' you so early. Good morning, Judge Hawthorne.
Reverend Hale have no right to enter this...
Hathorne: Do you leave him alone with prisoners?
What's his business here?
Parris: Excellency, hear me. It is a providence Reverend Hale has returned to bring Rebecca Nurse to God.
He bids her confess?
Parris: Hear me. Rebecca have not given me a work this three months since she came. Now she sits with him, and her sister and Martha Corey and two or three others, and he pleads with them to confess their crimes and save their lives.
Why - this is indeed a providence. And they soften, they soften?
Parris: Not yet, not yet. But I thought to summon you, sir, that we might think on whether it be not wise to... there is news, sir, that the court, the court must reckon with. My niece.... I believe she has vanished.
Vanished!
Parris: I had thought to advise you of it earlier in the week, but...
Why? - How long is she gone?
Parris: This be the third night - Mercy Lewis is gone, too.
I shall send a party for them. Where may they be?
Parris: Thirty-one pound is gone. I am penniless.
Mister Parris, you are a brainless man.
Parris: Excellency, it profit nothing you should blame me. I cannot think they would run off except they fear to keep in Salem anymore - since the news of Andover has broken here. They rumor rebellion speaks in Andover, and it....
There is no rebellion in Andover.
Parris: Judge Hathorne - it were another sort that hanged till now. Rebecca Nurse in no Bridget that lived three years with Bishop before she married him. John Proctor is not Isaac Ward that drank his family to ruin. Let Rebecca stand upon the gibbet and send up some righteous prayer, and I feel she'll wake a vengeance on you.
How do you propose, then?
Parris: Excellency, I would postpone these hangin's for a time.
There will be no postponement.
Parris: Now Mister Hale's returned, there is hope, I think - for if he bring even one of these to God, that confession surely damns the others in the public eye, and none may doubt more that they are all linked in Hell. This way, unconfessed and claiming innocence, doubts are multiplied, may honest people will weep for them, and our good purpose is lost in their tears.
Cheever, give me the list.
Parris: Excellency, it cannot be forgot, sir, that when I summoned the congregation for John Proctor's excommunication, there were hardly thirty people come to hear it. That speak a discontent, I think, and...
There will be no postponement.
Parris: Excellency...
Now, sir - which of these in your opinion may be brought to God? I will myself strive with him till dawn.
Parris: Excellency, a dagger....
What do you say?
Parris: Tonight, when I open my door to leave my house - a dagger clattered to the ground. You cannot hang this sort. There is danger for me. I dare not step outside at night. (Hale enters)
Accept my congratulations, Reverend Hale; we are gladdened to see you returned to your good work.
Hale: You must pardon them. They will not budge. The sun will rise in a few minutes. Excellency, I must have more time.
Now hear me, and beguile yourselves no more. I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement. Them that will not confess will hang. Twelve are already executed; the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die at dawn. Postponement, now, speaks a ... a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that have died till now. - Have you spoken with them all, Mister Hale?
Hale: All but Proctor. He is in the dungeon.
What's proctor's way now?
Cheever: He sits like some great bird; you would not know he lived except he will take food from time to time.
His wife... she must be well on with child now.
Cheever: She is, sir.
What think you, Mister Parris? - You have closer knowledge of this man; might her presence soften him?
Parris: It is possible, sir - he have not laid eyes on her these three months. I should summon her.
Fetch Goody Proctor to me. Then let you bring him up.
Hale: Excellency, if you postpone a week, and publish to the town that you are striving to their confessions, that speak mercy on your part, not faltering.
Mister Hale, as God have not empowered me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising, so I cannot withhold from them the perfection of their punishment.
Hale: If you think God will you to raise rebellion, Mister Danforth, you are mistaken.
You have heard rebellion spoken in Salem?
Hale: Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hand everywhere, and no man knows when the harlot's cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellion is spoke. Better you should marvel how they do not burn your province.
Mister Hale, have you preached in Andover this month?
Hale: Thank God they have no need of me in Andover.
You baffle me, sir. Why have you returned here?
Enter Good Proctor
Goody Proctor, I hope you are hearty?
Elizabeth: I am yet six month before my time.
Pray, be at your ease, we come not for your life. We....Mister Hale, will you speak with the woman?
Hale: It is a lie! - the are innocent!
No more. No more. I'll hear no more of that.
Elizabeth: I think that be the Devil's argument.
Goody Proctor, you are no summoned here for disputation - be there no wifely tenderness within you? He will die with the sunrise. Your husband. Do you understand it? What say you? Will you contend with him? Take her out - it profit nothing she should speak to him!
Elizabeth: Let me speak with him, excellency.
Will you plead for his confession, or will you not?!
Hale: Pray, leave them, Excellency.
I see light in the sky, Mister; let you counsel with your wife and may God help you turn your back on hell.
Proctor: Would you give them such a lie? Say it. Would you ever give them this? You would not; if tongs of fire were singeing you, you would not! It is evil. Good then, it is evil, and I do it!
Praise to God, man, you shall be blessed in Heaven for this. Now then, let's have it. Are you ready, Mister Cheever?
Proctor: Why must it be written?
Why, for the good instruction of the village, Mister; this we shall post upon the church door! Now, then, Mister, will you speak slowly, and directly to the point for Mister Cheever's sake? Mister Proctor, have you seen the devil in your life? 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?
Parris: Praise God!
And when he come to you, what were his demand? Did he bid you do his work upon the earth?
Proctor: He did.
And you bound yourself to his service? Ah, Rebecca nurse - Come in, come in, woman.
Rebecca: Ah, John! You are well, then, eh?
Courage, man, courage - let her witness your good example that she may come to God herself. Now hear it, Goody Nurse! Say on, Mister Proctor - did you bind yourself to the Devil's service?
Proctor: I did.
Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin' to keep this conspiracy any further. Will you confess yourself with him?
Proctor: Take her out!
I say will you confess yourself, Goody Nurse?
Rebecca: Why, it is lie, it is a lie; how may I damn myself? I cannot.
Mister Proctor, when the devil come to you did you see Rebecca Nurse in his company? Come, man, take courage - did you see her with the Devil?
Proctor: No
Did you ever see anyone with the devil?
Proctor: I did not.
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. Mister Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw this woman with the devil.
Parris: It is a great service, sir - it is a weighty name, it will strike the village that he confess. I beg you, let him sign i. The sun is up, Excellency!
Come then, sign your testimony!
Proctor: You have all witnessed it - it is enough!
You will not sign it?
Proctor: You have all witnessed it; what more is needed?
Do you sport with me? You will sign your name or it is no confession, Mister! Your second name, man!
Parris: Praise be to the Lord!
If you please, sir.
Proctor: No (after signing)
Mister Proctor, I must have...
Proctor: Damn the village! If I confess to God and God has seen my name on this! It is enough!
No, sir, it is...
Proctor: You came to save my soul, did you not? Here - I have confessed myself, it is enough!
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!
Mister Proctor...
Proctor: You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba, I am John Proctor! You will not use me!
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?
You have not sold your friends...
Proctor: I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence!
Mister 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...
It is the same, is it not? If I report it or you sign to it?
Proctor: No it is not the same! What others say and what I sign to is not the same!
Why? Do you mean to deny this confession when you are free?
Proctor: I mean to deny nothing!
Then explain to me, Mr. Proctor, why you will not let...
Proctor: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life. Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hand! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name!
Is that document a lie? If it is a lie I will not accept it! You will give me your honest confession in my hand, or I cannot keep you from the rope!
Rebecca: Let you fear nothing. There is another judgement waits us all.
Whoever weeps fr these weeps for corruption. Take them!