Mary: Oh, Lord, how did this happen? From dancin' in the woods to condemning innocents to the noose! I believe that most of those who we accused are guilty, as in Goody Osburn when she sent out her spirit and attempted to choke me, but Elizabeth Proctor? No, if anyone is guiltless, it is her. She is the most truthful, pious woman of the town! Now her only way to freedom is Mr. Proctor, and there is only so much he can do to help her. But I refuse to be used, to sentence myself to a life of imprisonment just because Mr. Proctor is sick of Abigail's murderous jaunt!
He has surely lost his mind! How can he even think to have me stand up in front of a court room, before Abby and the other girls and state that what they say is false? It is an absolutely ludicrous idea if he should want to free his wife. He knows what I am like and that I am in no way capable of such things. My soul is void of such courage and bravery in which he speaks. Were I to stand up before judge and jury, I should seize up and become a figure of stone which will help Mr. Proctor none. And then, should he take over, it will be Abby's turn to speak and charge Mr. Proctor of lechery! Then where will he be? Right alongside Goody Proctor in a jail cell, I'd say. That would be no help to her at all.
I can't believe the court swallows up all of Abby's lies, all too happy to prosecute whomever she convicts. I don't understand how they cannot see that Salem would be such a peaceful town without her, even if it did entail the ignorance towards witches and spirits. If only the Devil would seek her out and then she would be the one defending herself in court, the one with her neck on the line…
Oh, but Mary, what has gotten into you? For you know as well as any other that Abby speaks the truth at the word of God, save for one mistake. Goody Proctor will be set free as soon as Abby sees that she has accused wrongly. You shall go and speak with Abby in the morning to make her see sense.
But – but what if she has not made a mistake and convicted Goody Proctor with intention? What if she should charge Goody Proctor by way to grieve poor Mr. Proctor? No. No, that cannot be right. Abby has given herself over to God and therefore can speak nothing but the truth. But then, what if it should true? It is fact to those who know that Abby was deeply shaken upon the end of her affair with Mr. Proctor. It is logical that she should want to get her own back on Mr. Proctor after he ended her happiness and his wife threw her out of her house. But, through Goody Proctor by convicting her of witchery? Oh, Lord, what has she gotten herself into? This all started out as an innocent game to steer clear of punishment and now it has escalated out of control. People are being murdered! How could she let this happen? Surely a whipping would be better than this? But no, of course not. Whilst mayhem runs its course through Salem, Abby sits up high, free from any judgment and looked upon as the Queen. Why did I not see this before? Abby sees no spirits, she never met the Devil. This is all a trick, one with deadly consequences, too, for should she slip up, the court should immediately turn on her like hounds to a fox. I am sure that the Reverend Hale should like to see her gone. He is an expert on the Devil and he sees no effects caused by the Lord of Hell around her! He has tried many a time to make Judge Harthorne see sense but to no prevail. What if he should say something that cannot be mistaken as a lie? Then Judge Harthorne will have no choice but to question Abby. Abby, she is a good liar but I wonder if she is so good when put in the limelight?
Oh, please, please, Abby, be careful!