Abigail, is there any other cause than you have told me, for your being discharged from Goody Proctor’s service? I have heard it said, and I tell you as I heard it, that she comes so rarely to the church this year for she will not sit so close to something soiled. What signified that remark?
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 1. For Reverend Parris, Abigail’s dancing in the woods has reignited suspicions about his niece’s behavior. He refers to rumors that she acted improperly when working in the Proctors’ service, with Mrs. Proctor not wanting to sit close to her in church. With Elizabeth avoiding being associated with something "soiled" or impure, this puts Abigail’s reputation under the spotlight.