Final answer:
Reverend Parris in 'The Crucible' fears that people questioning his authority will use the witch trial situation to overthrow him. His statement 'they will topple me with this' refers to the threat to his position because of the unfolding scandal.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reverend Parris, in Act 1 of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, is referring to the group of people in Salem who are beginning to question his authority and the validity of the witch trials. His fear is that these doubters will use the chaos and the situation with his daughter and niece, who are accused of participating in witchcraft, as a means to undermine his position and influence in the community. Parris fears that this scandal, which he refers to as 'this,' could lead to his being overthrown or losing his standing, hence his phrase, 'they will topple me with this.'