I think Danforth chooses to believe that John Proctor is untrustworthy because, if he believes that Proctor is telling the truth about Abigail and her lies, he would have to acknowledge that his intelligence and discernment as well as the court's authority have been completely undermined by a bunch of little girls.
Danforth could easily justify his distrust of Proctor based on what he has seen so far: Proctor claimed to come to court...
I think Danforth chooses to believe that John Proctor is untrustworthy because, if he believes that Proctor is telling the truth about Abigail and her lies, he would have to acknowledge that his intelligence and discernment as well as the court's authority have been completely undermined by a bunch of little girls.
Danforth could easily justify his distrust of Proctor based on what he has seen so far: Proctor claimed to come to court only to save his wife but when he learns that her pregnancy will keep her safe for a year, he still wants to protest; Proctor said that his wife could never lie and then, when her claims differ from his, he argues that she did lie to protect him; finally, he has arrived with a petition signed by almost one hundred villagers that testifies to his wife's (and others') good reputations -- a move that Danforth could interpret as indicative of Proctor's desire to incite a rebellion against the court.
It is clear that Abigail is pulling his strings when she threatens him to "beware" because "the power of Hell" might turn his wits, too; after this, it is all too easy for Danforth to believe that Proctor is "the Devil's man," as Mary Warren calls him. Moreover, holding on to this idea of Proctor permits Danforth to retain credibility and authority, a comfortable position for him.
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