Giles Corey, Yeoman | Page 6

I bid ye, my
pretty black cat, and I'll sign the book.
Phoebe. Oh, Nancy, I hear the black cat yawl!
Nancy (after courtesying three times). Hey, black dog! hey, my pretty
black dog! Go ye and howl in Mistress Olive's ear, so she be frighted in
her dreams, and so get a little bitter with the sweet. Do as I bid ye, my
pretty black dog, and I'll sign the book.
Phoebe. Oh, Nancy, I hear the black dog howl!
Nancy (after courtesying three times). Hey, yellow bird! hey, my pretty
yellow bird! Go ye and peck at Goody Bishop's fine silk hood and tear
it to bits. Do as I bid ye, my pretty yellow bird, and I'll sign the book.
Phoebe. Oh, Nancy, I hear the yellow bird twitter up chimbly!
Nancy. 'Tis rare witchcraft.

Phoebe. Is that all, Nancy?
Nancy. All of this sort. I've given them all they can do to-night.
Phoebe. Then sing the witch song, Nancy.
Nancy. I'll sing the witch song, and you can dance on the table.
Phoebe. But 'tis sinful to dance, Nancy!
Nancy. 'Tis not sinful for a witch.
Phoebe. True; I forgot I was a witch. [_Gets upon the table and dances,
dangling her doll, while Nancy sings._
WITCH SONG.
(Same air as Spinning Song.)
"I'll tell you a story, a story of one; 'Twas of a dark witch, and the
wizard her son. A dark witch was she, and a dark wizard he, With
yellow birds singing so gay and so free. To my down, down, down,
derry down.
"The clock was a-striking, a-striking of one. The witches came out, and
the dancing begun. They courtesied so fine, and they drank the red
wine-- The wizards were three and the witches were nine. To my down,
down, down, derry down.
"Halloo, the gay dancers! Halloo, I was one; The goody that prayed and
the maiden that spun! The yellow birds chirped in the boughs overhead,
And fast through the bushes the black dog sped. To my down, down,
down, derry down." [A noise is heard. Phoebe jumps down from the
table.
Phoebe. Oh, Nancy, something's coming! Run, run quick, or it 'll catch
us! [Both run out. Curtain falls.

Act II.
Best room in the house of Widow Eunice Hutchins, Ann's mother. John
Hathorne and Minister Parris enter, shown in by Widow Hutchins.
Hutchins. I pray you, sirs, to take some cheers the while I go for a
moment's space to my poor afflicted child. I heard her cry out but now.
[Exit.
[Hathorne and Parris seat themselves, but Hathorne _quickly springs up,
and begins walking._
Hathorne. I cannot be seated in this crisis. I would as lief be seated in
an onset of the savages. I must up and lay about me. We have
heretofore been too lax in this dreadful business; the powers of
darkness be almost over our palisades. I tell thee there must be more
action!
Parris (pounding with his cane). Yea, Master Hathorne, I am with thee.
Verily, this last be enough to make the elect themselves quake with fear.
This Martha Corey is a woman of the covenant.
Hathorne. There must be no holding back. The powers of darkness be
let loose amongst us, and they that be against them must be up. We
must hang, hang, hang, till we overcome!
Parris. Yea, we must not falter, though all the woods of Massachusetts
Bay be cut for gallows-trees, and the country be like Sodom. Verily,
Satan hath manifested himself at the head of our enemies; the colonies
were never in such peril as now. We must strive as never before, or all
will be lost. The wilderness full of malignant savages, who be the
veritable servants of Satan, closes us in, and the cloven footmark is in
our midst. There must be no dallying as we would save the colonies.
Widow Hutchins saith her daughter is grievously pressed. (A scream.)
There, heard you that?
Hathorne. It is dreadful, dreadful, that an innocent maid should be so
tormented by acts which her guileless fancy could never compass!

Parris. Verily, malignity hath ever cowardice in conjunction with it.
Satan loveth best to afflict those who can make no defence, and fastens
his talons first in the lambs.
Enter Widow Hutchins with the embroidered cape.
Hutchins. Here, your worships, is the cape.
Hathorne (examines it). I have seen women folk wear its like on the
Sabbath day. I can see naught unwonted about it.
Parris. It looketh like any cape.
Hutchins. I fear it be not like any cape. Had your worships seen my
poor child writhe under it, and I myself, when I would try it on, bent
down to my knees as under a ton weight, your worships would not
think it like any cape.