Olive. Paul, Paul, what is that?

Paul. Naught but some boys shouting, sweet.

Olive. ’Twas not.  Oh, my father, my father!

Paul. Olive, thou must not stay here.

Olive. I must stay.  Who is coming? [Paul and Olive step aside.

Enter second Messenger.  Hathorne, Corwin, and Parris advance to meet him.

Hathorne. How goes it now with Giles Corey?

Messenger. Your worship, Giles Corey hath not spoken.

Hathorne. What!  Have they not increased the weights?

Messenger. They have doubled the weights, your worship.

Parris. I trow Satan himself hath put his shoulder under the stones to take off the strain. [Exit Messenger.

Hathorne. ’Tis a marvel the old tavern-brawler endures so long, but he’ll soon speak now.

Corwin. Hush, good master, his daughter can hear.

Hathorne. Let her then withdraw if it please her not.  I’ll warrant he cannot bear much more; he will soon speak.

Parris. Yea, he cannot withstand the double weight unless his master help him.

[Corwin speaks aside to Paul and motions him to take Olive away. Paul takes her by the arm.  She shakes her head and will not go.

Hathorne. I trow ’twill take other than an unlettered clown like Giles Corey to stand firm under this stress.  He’ll speak soon.

Parris. Yea, that he will.  He can never hold out.  He hath not the mind for it.

Hathorne. It takes a man of finer wit than he to undergo it.  He will speak.  Oh yes, fear ye not, he will speak.

Olive (breaking away from Paul).  My father will not speak!

Hathorne. Girl!

Olive. My father will not speak.  I tell ye there be not stones enough in the provinces to make him speak.  Ye know not my father.  My father will have the best of ye all.

Enter third Messenger, running.

Hathorne. How goes it now with Giles Corey?

Messenger. Giles Corey is dead, and he has not spoken.

Olive clings to Paul as curtain falls.

THE END.