the lady, or the tiger-第2部分

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Through　these　thick　doors；　heavily　curtained　with　skins　on　the

inside；　it　was　impossible　that　any　noise　or　suggestion　should

come　from　within　to　the　person　who　should　approach　to　raise　the

latch　of　one　of　them。　But　gold；　and　the　power　of　a　woman's　will；

had　brought　the　secret　to　the　princess。

　

And　not　only　did　she　know　in　which　room　stood　the　lady　ready　to

emerge；　all　blushing　and　radiant；　should　her　door　be　opened；　but

she　knew　who　the　lady　was。　It　was　one　of　the　fairest　and

loveliest　of　the　damsels　of　the　court　who　had　been　selected　as

the　reward　of　the　accused　youth；　should　he　be　proved　innocent　of

the　crime　of　aspiring　to　one　so　far　above　him；　and　the　princess

hated　her。　Often　had　she　seen；　or　imagined　that　she　had　seen；　this

fair　creature　throwing　glances　of　admiration　upon　the　person　of

her　lover；　and　sometimes　she　thought　these　glances　were

perceived；　and　even　returned。　Now　and　then　she　had　seen　them

talking　together；　it　was　but　for　a　moment　or　two；　but　much　can　be

said　in　a　brief　space；　it　may　have　been　on　most　unimportant

topics；　but　how　could　she　know　that？　The　girl　was　lovely；　but　she

had　dared　to　raise　her　eyes　to　the　loved　one　of　the　princess；　and；

with　all　the　intensity　of　the　savage　blood　transmitted　to　her

through　long　lines　of　wholly　barbaric　ancestors；　she　hated　the

woman　who　blushed　and　trembled　behind　that　silent　door。

　

When　her　lover　turned　and　looked　at　her；　and　his　eye　met　hers　as

she　sat　there；　paler　and　whiter　than　any　one　in　the　vast　ocean　of

anxious　faces　about　her；　he　saw；　by　that　power　of　quick

perception　which　is　given　to　those　whose　souls　are　one；　that　she

knew　behind　which　door　crouched　the　tiger；　and　behind　which

stood　the　lady。　He　had　expected　her　to　know　it。　He　understood　her

nature；　and　his　soul　was　assured　that　she　would　never　rest　until

she　had　made　plain　to　herself　this　thing；　hidden　to　all　other

lookers…on；　even　to　the　king。　The　only　hope　for　the　youth　in　which

there　was　any　element　of　certainty　was　based　upon　the　success

of　the　princess　in　discovering　this　mystery；　and　the　moment　he

looked　upon　her；　he　saw　she　had　succeeded；　as　in　his　soul　he　knew

she　would　succeed。



Then　it　was　that　his　quick　and　anxious　glance　asked　the　question：

〃Which？〃　It　was　as　plain　to　her　as　if　he　shouted　it　from　where　he

stood。　There　was　not　an　instant　to　be　lost。　The　question　was

asked　in　a　flash；　it　must　be　answered　in　another。



Her　right　arm　lay　on　the　cushioned　parapet　before　her。　She　raised

her　hand；　and　made　a　slight；　quick　movement　toward　the　right。　No

one　but　her　lover　saw　her。　Every　eye　but　his　was　fixed　on　the　man

in　the　arena。



He　turned；　and　with　a　firm　and　rapid　step　he　walked　across　the

empty　space。　Every　heart　stopped　beating；　every　breath　was　held；

every　eye　was　fixed　immovably　upon　that　man。　Without　the

slightest　hesitation；　he　went　to　the　door　on　the　right；　and　opened

it。



Now；　the　point　of　the　story　is　this：　Did　the　tiger　come　out　of　that

door；　or　did　the　lady　？



The　more　we　reflect　upon　this　question；　the　harder　it　is　to

answer。　It　involves　a　study　of　the　human　heart　which　leads　us

through　devious　mazes　of　passion；　out　of　which　it　is　difficult　to

find　our　way。　Think　of　it；　fair　reader；　not　as　if　the　decision　of　the

question　depended　upon　yourself；　but　upon　that　hot…blooded；

semi…barbaric　princess；　her　soul　at　a　white　heat　beneath　the

combined　fires　of　despair　and　jealousy。　She　had　lost　him；　but　who

should　have　him？



How　often；　in　her　waking　hours　and　in　her　dreams；　had　she　started

in　wild　horror；　and　covered　her　face　with　her　hands　as　she　thought

of　her　lover　opening　the　door　on　the　other　side　of　which　waited

the　cruel　fangs　of　the　tiger！



But　how　much　oftener　had　she　seen　him　at　the　other　door！　How　in

her　grievous　reveries　had　she　gnashed　her　teeth；　and　torn　her　hair；

when　she　saw　his　start　of　rapturous　delight　as　he　opened　the　door

of　the　lady！　How　her　soul　had　burned　in　agony　when　she　had　seen

him　rush　to　meet　that　woman；　with　her　flushing　cheek　and

sparkling　eye　of　triumph；　when　she　had　seen　him　lead　her　forth；

his　whole　frame　kindled　with　the　joy　of　recovered　life；　when　she

had　heard　the　glad　shouts　from　the　multitude；　and　the　wild

ringing　of　the　happy　bells；　when　she　had　seen　the　priest；　with　his

joyous　followers；　advance　to　the　couple；　and　make　them　man　and

wife　before　her　very　eyes；　and　when　she　had　seen

them　walk　away　together　upon　their　path　of　flowers；　followed　by

the　tremendous　shouts　of　the　hilarious　multitude；　in　which　her

one　despairing　shriek　was　lost　and　drowned！



Would　it　not　be　better　for　him　to　die　at　once；　and　go　to　wait　for

her　in　the　blessed　regions　of　semi…barbaric　futurity？



And　yet；　that　awful　tiger；　those　shrieks；　that　blood！



Her　decision　had　been　indicated　in　an　instant；　but　it　had　been

made　after　days　and　nights　of　anguished　deliberation。　She　had

known　she　would　be　asked；　she　had　decided　what　she　would

answer；　and；　without　the　slightest　hesitation；　she　had　moved　her

hand　to　the　right。



The　question　of　her　decision　is　one　not　to　be　lightly　considered；

and　it　is　not　for　me　to　presume　to　set　myself　up　as　the　one　person

able　to　answer　it。　And　so　I　leave　it　with　all　of　you：　Which　came

out　of　the　opened　door；the　lady；　or　the　tiger？










End