The girls all look up to Abigail, and do not blink. This makes them look innocent, and makes them look upset that Danforth is questioning their 'leader.' This also shows their fear that she may crack, but deep inside they know she won't, because they know of her power and strongness. We see in Act 1 when Abigail threatens the girls by saying 'And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word...I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you' they know she will never reveal the truth, and will kill if any of them if they do.
Danforth then asks her in a intimidating voice, bending down to look straight into her eyes, so that their noses are almost touching
'Is there any truth in this?' There is complete silence. Everyone remians still, transfixed on Abigail, not knowing what she will say. She takes time answering, and the tension rises. Finally, in a solemn voice, as though in a trance, looking right into Danforths eyes, she says 'no sir.' Once this is said the tensoin level goes down. Giles and Francis who were sitting on the edge of their seats, sit back and glance at each other and Parris relaxes and gives a slight smile. Proctor, on the other hand stamps his foot in frustration and slightly turns bringing his hand to his head making him look as though he has a headache coming on, while MaryWarren silently weeps taking in huge breaths and breathing very quickly, clinging to proctors arm for support.
Slowly Danforth rises, and looks at Abigail as though considering her with great thought. Then he 'glances' over his left soldier at Mary Warren, who looks at him with tearful eyes, then as if suddenly scared of his penetrating stare, she turns away and looks at the floor. Then he takes a step back and stands sideways so that he can see both Abigail and Mary. 'Will either of you change your positions now, or do you force me to hard questioning' he says with a slight edge in his voice, raising the volume as he speaks, showing his anger and frustration as he can't tell who is lying. As he says this, his hands are by his sides clenched in fists, and he keeps turning his head from left to right to look at Abigail and Mary. Proctor is holding Mary Warren up, because she looks as though she may faint, but she doesn't turn from Danforth, to show that she's trying to be strong and brave. Abigail looks straight forward at Danforth because she knows she already won the battle, and has no reason to be scared of Danforth.
In this part of the scene, there is a lot of suspense. We do not know if Abigail or Mary are going to confess they're lying, so the actors will look tense. Hathorne will have his arms crossed listening eagerly, while Parris will be standing looking nervous twiddling his thumbs. Giles and Francis will once again be on the edge of their sits leaning forward, and Hale while be slightly hunched biting his thumb nail, with his brow creased with worry.
Abigail, standing very straight looking up at Danforth, projecting her voice says 'I have naught to change sir' with a sense of innocence and an almost baby like way. She says it like this because children are innocent, and thats how she wants to be seen. Then slowly she looks down to look at Mary Warren, and with a stern voice and narrow eyes, making her look evil, with a shadow casting over her she says, 'she lies.' This short sentence really emphasises her true self and that she is willing to lie to the most important people to save herself. Also, as its a short sentence, we see that its directed at Mary Warren, even though shes talknig to Danforth.
Once this is said, Danforth turns to Mary and says in a questioning, almost exasperated way, but not a harsh way 'you will still go on with this?' Mary Warren had been staring at Abigail, but when she heard Danforths voice it jerked her back to life. She looks up at Proctor, who looks down at her and nods reassuringly. 'Aye sir' she says 'faintly', in a croaky voice so that you know she's been crying.
Here there is a pause. Everyone is looking at both Mary Warren and Abigail. They're worried. They don't know whats going to happen and now can't tell who is innocent. Danforth looks tired, and stands a momment considering the evidence. Then, 'turning to Abigail' he asks her about a poppet found in Proctors house and told how 'Mary Warren claims' that she made it herself, and how Abigail 'witnessed how she herself stuck her needle into it for safe keeping.' Then leaning down so that they were eye level, this time a foot away from each others noses, hands behind his back he asks in a menacing, madening voice 'what say you to that?'
Abigail is taken aback by this question. She had not expected this, and had not realized Mary Warren had told Danforth about this. Giles and Francis are excited at this moment, as they think Danforth has caught her out. Parris on the other hand is extremely nervous at this point, with a drop of sweat trickling down his forehead.
She takes a slight step forward so she is closer to Danforth, hands clenchend in balls and pulled back, her face turned upright into Danforth making him stand straight to show her anger. 'With a slight note of indignation' and annoyance that she is being questioned after everything she's done for the court she says 'It is a lie, sir,' exaggerating the sir with a note of moodiness and madness. 'After a slight pause' he asks 'while you worked for Mr Proctor, did you see poppets in that house?' and eagerly she replies straight away as though she knows a great a deal about this and it was normal, nodding while she talks 'Goody Proctor always kept poppets.'
As soon as this is said, Proctor steps forward, leaving Mary Warren to stand on her own, and reaching out his hand as though trying to pat Danforth on the shoulder says, 'Your Honour, my wife never kept no poppets. Mary Warren confesses it was her poppet.' He says it as though his wife keeping poppets was a ridiculous idea, and points to Mary Warren when he says it was hers, but doesn't look back. He seems desperate to convince Danforth that Abigail is lying.
Then suddenly Cheever steps forward saying 'your Excellency.' He had been standing in the shadows, not important during the conversations between Danforth, Abigail and Mary Warren, but now he steps into the light. When he says this, everyone turns to look at him. Danforth says in puzzlement and with a slight nod implying him to talk, 'Mr Cheever.' Cheever glances at Proctor as he is frightened of him, as we see in Act 2, when the play says 'he fears Proctor.'
'When I spoke with Goody Proctor...she said she did keep poppets when she was a girl,' he says, only looking at Danforth, trying to ignore Proctors stare. As soon as this is said, Proctor takes a step forward in his anger and desperation towards Danforth, and glancing at Cheever while he speaks loudly, close to shouting but trying to remain calm he says, 'she has not been a girl these fifteen years, Your Honour.'
'But a poppet will keep fifteen years, will it not?' Says Hathorne suddenly, and everyone turns to look at him. He says this in a pompous sort of way, knowing he is superior to everyone, and thinking what he just said was a clever thing to think of. As soon as this is said, Proctor strides over to Hathorne and stands a foot apart from him. Through gritted teeth, trying to hide his anger, frustration and annoyance with everyone beleiving Abigail he says 'it will be keep if it is kept' and that Mary Warren 'nor anyone else' saw poppets in his house.
Then Parris clears his throat and everyone turns to look at him. When he's got everyones attention, he says with almost a relish, as though he's caught Proctor out 'why could there not have been poppets hid where no one ever saw them?' Completely 'furious', Proctor stamps his foot and raises his arms yelling 'there might also be a dragon with five legs in my house, but no one has ever seen it.' Everyone is now staring at Proctor, slightly shocked at his outburtst.
As you can see, there is a lot of suspense and tension in this part of the scene. It is almost like a tennis game, when everyone moves there head to whoevers talking, as everyone is only saying one sentence or question, and each are taking it in turns. These short sentence creates tension, as you don't whose going to say what next. During this whole debate, Abigail has not been really listening, but has a curly, evil smile on her face staring menacingly at Mary Warren. Mary Warren is whimpering, very scared remembring Abigails words 'breathe a word...I will come to you in the black of some terrible night.'
After a pause, where everyone cools slightly down after Proctor shouting down, Parris looking at Danforth, but glancing at Proctor throughout his line, as he does not like him, and is trying to say, 'you will not win', says 'we are here, Your Honour, precisely to discover what no one has ever seen.' We know that Proctor and Parris don't get on, when Proctor says earlier in the scene 'I have no love for Mr Parris.'
Danforth nods to Proctor, to show he understands his comment, but then Proctor says, stepping towards Danforth with eagerness and desperation in his voice 'Mr Danforth, what profit this girl to turn herself about? What may Mary Warren gain but hard questioning and worse?' While he speaks, he points to Mary Warren. but does not take his eyes from Danforth, to make Danforth realize he is true. When Proctor mentions Mary Warrens name, she jerks awake, after being in a sort of stupor, hypnotised by Abigails stares, and whimpers and sobs once more.
Then Danforth steps forward, and slowly walks towards Proctor. All eyes are on them. Tension rises, as there is silence in the court room. No one knows what's going to happen next. Then Danforth says in a low, stern voice as he is about to ask him something that has obviously been playing on his mind for some time, and wants to know the truth, 'you are charging Abigail Williams with a marvellous cool plot to murder, do you understand that?'
This is at the very peak of tension. Even Abigail is worried, and faces Proctor, with questioning eyes, wondering what he shall say. There is a pause and Proctor looks into his eyes, and says loudly so the whole court can hesr 'I do, sir.' Then hesteps to the side so that he is directly in fornt of Abigail. The rook darkedns and there is noly light on Proctor and Abigail, to show the evilness of plots, but also that they were once very close. 'I beleive she mans murder,' he says, in a low voice, showing his true feelings.
Here we come to the end of the scene. As you can see, this scene is full of tense parts, and I've written it of how I imagine it to look like. I've tried to show all the characters movements, but mainly concentrated on Proctor, Mary Warren and Danforth. I hope you enjoyed it.