"I am no witch; look upon me, and say if I am." "Then she utters both falsehood and folly," cried Bertalda; "and she is unable to prove that I am the child of these low people.

My noble parents, I entreat you to take me from this company, and out of this city, where they do nothing but shame me." But the aged duke, a man of honourable feeling, remained unmoved; and his wife remarked: "We must thoroughly examine into this matter.

God forbid that we should move a step from this hall before we do so." Then the aged wife of the fisherman drew near, made a low obeisance to the duchess and said: "Noble and pious lady, you have opened my heart.
Permit me to tell you, that if this evil-disposed maiden is my daughter, she has a mark like a violet between her shoulders, and another of the same kind on the instep of her left foot.

If she will only consent to go out of the hall with me--" "I will not consent to uncover myself before the peasant woman," interrupted Bertalda, haughtily turning her back upon her.
"But before me you certainly will," replied the duchess gravely.

"You will follow me into that room, maiden; and the old woman shall go with us." The three disappeared, and the rest continued where they were, in breathless expectation.