een in the meeting-house every Lord's
day? Have I ever stayed away from the sacrament? Have I not gone in
sober apparel, nor wasted my husband's substance? Have I not been
diligent in my household, and spun and wove great store of linen?
Are not my floors scoured, my brasses bright, and my cheese-room
well filled? Look at me! Can I be a witch?

_Ann._ A black man hath been whispering in her ear, telling her
what to say.

_Hathorne._ What say you to that, Goody?

_Martha._ I say if that be so, he told me not to his own advantage.
I see with whom I have to do. I pray you give me leave to go to
prayer.

_Hathorne._ You are not here to go to prayer. I much fear that your
many prayers have been to your master, the devil. Constables, bring
forward the body of the accused.

[Afflicted Girls _shriek._ Constables _lead_ Olive _forward._
Martha _is led to one side._

_Martha._ Be of good cheer, dear child.

_Giles._ Yes, be not afraid of them, lass; thy father is here.

_Hathorne._ Silence! Olive Corey, why do you so afflict these other
maids?

_Olive._ I do not, your worship.

_Ann._ She is looking at me. Oh, bid her look away, or she will
kill me!

_Olive._ Oh, Ann, I do not! What mean you, dear Ann?

_Hathorne._ I charge you, Olive Corey, keep your eyes upon the
floor.

_Giles._ Look where you please, lass, and thy old father will
uphold thee in it; and I only wish your blue eyes could shoot pins
into the lying hussies.

_Hathorne._ Goodman, an ye disturb the peace again, ye shall be
removed from court. Ann Hutchins, you have seen this maid hurt you?

_Ann._ Many a time she hath hurt me nigh to death.

_Olive._ Oh, Ann, I hurt thee?

_Ann._ There is a flock of yellow birds around her head.

[Olive _moves her head involuntarily, and looks up._

_Afflicted Girls._ See her look at them!

_Hathorne._ What say you to that, Olive?

_Olive._ I did not see them.

_Hathorne._ Ann Hutchins, did you see this maid walking in the wood
with a black man last week?

_Ann._ Yes, your worship.

_Hathorne._ How did he go?

_Ann._ In black clothes, and he had white hair.

_Hathorne._ How went the accused?

_Ann._ She went in her flowered petticoat, and the flowers stood
out, and smelt like real ones; her kerchief shone like a cobweb in
the grass in the morning, and gold sparks flew out of her hair.
Goody Corey fixed her up so with her devilish arts to trap Paul
Bayley.

_Hathorne.