Today in Salem: It’s the Sabbath, and Rev Parris is reading Mary Warren’s note to the confused congregation. Thanking God for deliverance is one thing. But from affliction? Why would God deliver her from being able to see and point out evil?
From the corner of her eye, Mary can see Mercy Lewis and Elizabeth Hubbard touching each other’s hands, hissing as they whisper and look at her sideways. They are fellow servants, also afflicted, and Mary spends the rest of the interminable sermon looking down and clutching her Bible.
When it’s finally over, she tries to hurry away, but the parsonage neighbors stop her.
“How is this possible?” they ask. “Why?”
Mary looks to the side, but there’s no escaping it. “The girls are acting in deception,” she says, but the neighbors just stare at her in silence. Does that mean the girls are deceiving people? Or are they themselves being deceived by the Devil?
The other afflicted girls are standing to the side with their arms crossed, watching Mary in silence. The specters have told them many times to touch the Devil’s book and they’ll be free of torment. And here’s Mary Warren, touching God’s book, claiming she’s free – and that they are lying.
Tomorrow in Salem: ACCUSED: Sarah Cloyce & Elizabeth Proctor