"I am no witch; only look at me." "She is false and boastful," interrupted Bertalda, "and she cannot prove that I am the child of these low people.

My noble parents, I beg you to take me from this company and out of this city, where they are only bent on insulting me." But the aged and honorable duke remained unmoved, and his wife, said: "We must thoroughly examine how we are to act.

God forbid that we should move a step from this hall until we have done so." Then the old wife of the fisherman drew near, and making a low reverence to the duchess, she said: "Noble, god-fearing lady, you have opened my heart.

I must tell you, if this evil-disposed young lady is my daughter, she has a mark, like a violet, between her shoulders, and another like it on the instep of her left foot.

If she would only go out of the hall with me!" "I shall not uncover myself before the peasant woman!" exclaimed Bertalda, proudly turning her back on her.
"But before me you will." rejoined the duchess, very gravely.
"Follow me into that room, girl, and the good old woman shall come with us." The three disappeared, and the rest of the company remained where they were, in silent expectation.