Danforth And Hathorne In The Crucible

The vestry room of the Salem court house. Danforth is sitting in an opulent chair at a large ornate timber desk. Hathorne is sitting on a simple timber chair across from him. They both have somber expressions. A pot of tea sits on one side of the desk near the inkwell with a quill sunk into it.

HATHORNE: Excellency, it concerns me much that Reverend Hale has denounced the proceedings.
DANFORTH: He is deranged. He wrongfully quit the court which is a disgrace.
HATHORNE: The trials will be further continued?
DANFORTH: Aye, it matters not that Reverend Hale has quit. The trials will continue without him as I will continue to lead this court.
HATHORNE: These proceedings bring to mind a matter that occurred some years ago that affected my ways
HATHORNE: That is where I am uncertain. T'was a matter of forced carnal knowledge. The accusers stated strong their case against him. The parents of the young girl claimed that they saw the boy running from their house, certain of his face. They hollered their story through tears and untold grief.
DANFORTH: It sounds like this boy deserved what came to him.
HATHORNE: But the girl's evidence is what gave me concern. She made all the right accusations down to the very last and very accurate detail. But her eyes told a different story; a story of one with strong feelings for the boy. I was filled with uncertainty and I grappled with the evidence but only one sorry conclusion could I reach. The boy must be found guilty.
DANFORTH: But can you be certain that your judgment was wrong?
HATHORNE: I feel so, as every now and again wildflowers would appear on the grave. I only suspect they were allotted/ left by the girl and I was reminded when I walked past the cemetery to the court some mornings.
DANFORTH [sympathetic sigh]: Come, Hathorne, you’ve become overly sentimental.
[Pause.]
HATHORNE [fearful]: Excellency, I must confess I have a similar feeling of uncertainty about this case which has only been compounded by Reverend Hale's denouncement of the
People in this town are being harmed, and it is the fault of all those Devil agents locked up in the jail. These trials are nothing but pertinent.
HATHORNE [hesitating]: Excellency, if I can be so bold, I think much of the consequences of erring in judgment. We would be killing people and destroying the names of many .
DANFORTH: You are wrong! We are doing the work of God. We are demanding the truth. We are gathering all the devilish people in Salem and executing them.
HATHORNE: I understand Excellency, but could I offer that I have a concern that the testimony of Abigail may be tainted. There is a whisper around Salem that she has had immoral thoughts about John Proctor having an affair with Abigail Williams.
DANFORTH: Then why did not Elizabeth Proctor proffer this and call out the Williams