Act IRev. Parris is praying for his daughter Betty who lies unconscious in his bed. Conversations between Parris, his niece Abigail Williams, and among several girls reveal that they, including Abigail and Betty, were engaged in occultist activities in a nearby forest, apparently led by Tituba, Parris's slave from Barbados. Seeing them, Parris jumped from a bush, scaring them. Betty fainted immediately and still hasn't recovered. The townspeople don't know exactly what the girls were doing, but rumors of witchcraft are circulating. John Proctor enters the room where Betty lies in bed and Abigail, otherwise alone, tries to seduce him. It doesn't work, but it is revealed that Abigail and Proctor had a previous relationship and that Abigail still has feelings for him. Reverend John Hale is summoned by Beverly to deal with Betty and investigate the accident. He is a self-styled expert on occultist phenomena and is eager to use his acquired knowledge. He questions Abigail, who accuses Tituba of being a witch. Tituba, fearing being hanged and threatened with beatings, professes faith in God and accuses the good wives Sarah Good and Osbourn of witchcraft. Betty, now awake, claims to have been bewitched and also professes her belief in God. Betty and Abigail chant a list of people they claim to have seen with the Devil. Act IIElizabeth questions Proctor to find out if he is late for dinner due to a visit to Salem. She tells him that their maid, Mary Warren, has been there all day. Having forbidden Mary from going to Salem, Proctor becomes angry, but Elizabeth explains that Mary has been appointed as a court official. Elizabeth tells Proctor that he must reveal that Abigail is a fake. He stated... in the middle of the paper... that Abigail and Mercy Lewis (one of the "afflicted" girls) stole £31 (about half his annual salary) and boarded a ship at night. Enter Hale, now a broken man who spends all his time with the prisoners, praying with them and advising the prisoners to confess to witchcraft so they can live. The authorities send Elizabeth to John, telling her to try to get Proctor to confess to being a witch. When Proctor and Elizabeth are alone, she forgives him and reaffirms their love. John chooses to confess in exchange for his life and calls Hathorne, who is almost overjoyed to hear this news. Proctor signs the confession, then tears it up when he realizes that Danforth will nail the signed confession to the church (which Proctor fears will ruin his name and those of the other Salemites). Proctor and Rebecca Nurse are led to the gallows to be hanged.