Final answer:
Paris suspects that Proctor and Mary Warren are trying to overthrow the court in Act 3 of 'The Crucible'. He interprets their challenge to the girls' accusations as an attack on the court's authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Act 3 of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, Paris begins to suspect that Proctor and Mary are attempting to overthrow the court.
Paris, seeing the challenge to the girls' accusations of witchcraft as a direct threat to the court's authority, believes that Proctor's motivation is not just to save his wife but also to undermine the legal system that supports the witch trials.
This confrontation reaches a tipping point when Mary Warren accuses the girls of lying and Proctor confesses to his affair with Abigail Williams, attempting to discredit her.
Despite Proctor's efforts, Paris's fears and his strong belief in the girls' pretense drive his interpretation of Proctor's and Mary's actions.