She uttered a little angry cry.

"How dare you ?" She tried to cover the arm.
"Let me look at it, Hildegarde," requested the duke.
To him she presented her arm, for she now understood that a serious affair was in progress.

But there was neither mole nor scar upon the round and lovely arm.
"Why do you do this, father?
What is the meaning ?" No one answered; no one had the heart to answer.

Without waiting for the duke to bid him continue, Hans unceremoniously ripped open Gretchen's left sleeve.

The ragged scar was visible to them all.