the lady, or the tiger-第1章

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The　Lady；　or　the　Tiger？


by　Frank　R。　Stockton









In　the　very　olden　time　there　lived　a　semi…barbaric　king；　whose

ideas；　though　somewhat　polished　and　sharpened　by　the

progressiveness　of　distant　Latin　neighbors；　were　still　large；

florid；　and　untrammeled；　as　became　the　half　of　him　which　was

barbaric。　He　was　a　man　of　exuberant　fancy；　and；　withal；　of　an

authority　so　irresistible　that；　at　his　will；　he　turned　his　varied

fancies　into　facts。　He　was　greatly　given　to　self…communing；　and；

when　he　and　himself　agreed　upon　anything；　the　thing　was　done。

When　every　member　of　his　domestic　and　political　systems　moved

smoothly　in　its　appointed　course；　his　nature　was　bland　and　genial；

but；　whenever　there　was　a　little　hitch；　and　some　of　his　orbs　got

out　of　their　orbits；　he　was　blander　and　more　genial　still；　for

nothing　pleased　him　so　much　as　to　make　the　crooked　straight　and

crush　down　uneven　places。



Among　the　borrowed　notions　by　which　his　barbarism　had　become

semified　was　that　of　the　public　arena；　in　which；　by　exhibitions　of

manly　and　beastly　valor；　the　minds　of　his　subjects　were　refined

and　cultured。



But　even　here　the　exuberant　and　barbaric　fancy　asserted　itself

The　arena　of　the　king　was　built；　not　to　give　the　people　an

opportunity　of　hearing　the　rhapsodies　of　dying　gladiators；　nor　to

enable　them　to　view　the　inevitable　conclusion　of　a　conflict

between　religious　opinions　and　hungry　jaws；　but　for　purposes　far

better　adapted　to　widen　and　develop　the　mental　energies　of　the

people。　This　vast　amphitheater；　with　its　encircling　galleries；　its

mysterious　vaults；　and　its　unseen　passages；　was　an　agent　of

poetic　justice；　in　which　crime　was　punished；　or　virtue　rewarded；

by　the　decrees　of　an　impartial　and　incorruptible　chance。



When　a　subject　was　accused　of　a　crime　of　sufficient　importance

to　interest　the　king；　public　notice　was　given　that　on　an　appointed

day　the　fate　of　the　accused　person　would　be　decided　in　the　king's

arena；　a　structure　which　well　deserved　its　name；　for；　although　its

form　and　plan　were　borrowed　from　afar；　its　purpose　emanated

solely　from　the　brain　of　this　man；　who；　every　barleycorn　a　king；

knew　no　tradition　to　which　he　owed　more　allegiance　than　pleased

his　fancy；　and　who　ingrafted　on　every　adopted　form　of　human

thought　and　action　the　rich　growth　of　his　barbaric　idealism。



When　all　the　people　had　assembled　in　the　galleries；　and　the　king；

surrounded　by　his　court；　sat　high　up　on　his　throne　of　royal　state

on　one　side　of　the　arena；　he　gave　a　signal；　a　door　beneath　him

opened；　and　the　accused　subject　stepped　out　into　the

amphitheater。　Directly　opposite　him；　on　the　other　side　of　the

inclosed　space；　were　two　doors；　exactly　alike　and　side　by　side。　It

was　the　duty　and　the　privilege　of　the　person　on　trial　to　walk

directly　to　these　doors　and　open　one　of　them。　He　could　open　either

door　he　pleased；　he　was　subject　to　no　guidance　or　influence　but

that　of　the　aforementioned　impartial　and　incorruptible　chance。　If

he　opened　the　one；　there　came　out　of　it　a　hungry　tiger；　the

fiercest　and　most　cruel　that　could　be　procured；　which

immediately　sprang　upon　him　and　tore　him　to　pieces　as　a

punishment　for　his　guilt。　The　moment　that　the　case　of　the

criminal　was　thus　decided；　doleful　iron　bells　were　clanged；　great

wails　went　up　from　the　hired　mourners　posted　on　the　outer　rim　of

*the　arena；　and　the　vast　audience；　with　bowed　heads　and　downcast

hearts；　wended　slowly　their　homeward　way；　mourning　greatly

that　one　so　young　and　fair；　or　so　old　and　respected；　should　have

merited　so　dire　a　fate。



But；　if　the　accused　person　opened　the　other　door；　there　came　forth

from　it　a　lady；　the　most　suitable　to　his　years　and　station　that　his

majesty　could　select　among　his　fair　subjects；　and　to　this　lady　he

was　immediately　married；　as　a　reward　of　his　innocence。　It

mattered　not　that　he　might　already　possess　a　wife　and　family；　or

that　his　affections　might　be　engaged　upon　an　object　of　his　own

selection；　the　king　allowed　no　such　subordinate　arrangements　to

interfere　with　his　great　scheme　of　retribution　and　reward。　The

exercises；　as　in　the　other　instance；　took　place　immediately；　and

in　the　arena。　Another　door　opened　beneath　the　king；　and　a　priest；

followed　by　a　band　of　choristers；　and　dancing　maidens　blowing

joyous　airs　on　golden　horns　and　treading　an　epithalamic　measure；

advanced　to　where　the　pair　stood；　side　by　side；　and　the　wedding

was　promptly　and　cheerily　solemnized。　Then　the　gay　brass　bells

rang　forth　their　merry　peals；　the　people　shouted　glad　hurrahs；　and

the　innocent　man；　preceded　by　children　strewing　flowers　on　his

path；　led　his　bride　to　his　home。



This　was　the　king's　semi…barbaric　method　of　administering

justice。　Its　perfect　fairness　is　obvious。　The　criminal　could　not

know　out　of　which　door　would　come　the　lady；　he　opened　either　he

pleased；　without　having　the　slightest　idea　whether；　in　the　next

instant；　he　was　to　be　devoured　or　married。　On　some　occasions　the

tiger　came　out　of　one　door；　and　on　some　out　of　the　other。　The

decisions　of　this　tribunal　were　not　only　fair；　they　were　positively

determinate：　the　accused　person　was　instantly　punished　if　he

found　himself　guilty；　and；　if　innocent；　he　was　rewarded　on　the

spot；　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　There　was　no　escape　from　the

judgments　of　the　king's　arena。



The　institution　was　a　very　popular　one。　When　the　people　gathered

together　on　one　of　the　great　trial　days；　they　never　knew　whether

they　were　to　witness　a　bloody　slaughter　or　a　hilarious　wedding。

This　element　of　uncertainty　lent　an　interest　to　the　occasion

which　it　could　not　otherwise　have　attained。　Thus；　the　masses

were　entertained　and　pleased；　and　the　thinking　part　of　the

community　could　bring　no　charge　of　unfairness　against　this　plan；

for　did　not　the　accused　person　have　the　whole　matter　in　his　own

hands？



This　semi…barbaric　king　had　a　daughter　as　blooming　as　his　most

florid　fancies；　and　with　a　soul　as　fervent　and　imperious　as　his

own。　As　is　usual　in　such　cases；　she　was　the　apple　of　his　eye；　and

was　loved　by　him　above　all　humanity。　Among　his　courtiers　was　a

young　man　of　that　fineness　of　blood　and　lowness　of　station

common　to　the　conventional　heroes　of　romance　who　love　royal

maidens。　This　royal　maiden　was　well　satisfied　with　her　lover；　for

he　was　handsome　and　brave　to　a　degree　unsurpassed　in　all　this

kingdom；　and　she　loved　him　with　an　ardor　that　had　enough　of

barbarism　in　it　to　make　it　exceedingly　warm　and　strong。　This　love

affair　moved　on　happily　for　many　months；　until　one　day　the　king

happened　to　discover　its　existence。　He　did　not　hesitate　nor　waver

in　regard　to　his　duty　in　the　premises。　The　youth　was　immediately

cast　into　prison；　and　a　day　was　appointed　for　his　trial　in　the

king's　arena。　This；　of　course；　was　an　especially　important

occasion；　and　his　majesty；　as　well　as　all　the　people；　was　greatly

interested　in　the　workings　and　development　of　this　trial。　Never

before　had　such　a　case　occurred；　never　before　had　a　subject　dared

to　love　the　daughter　of　the　king。　In　after　years　such　things

became　commonplace　enough；　but　then　they　were　in　no　slight

degree　novel　and　startling。



The　tiger…cages　of　the　kingdom　were　searched　for　the　most

savage　and　relentless　beasts；　from　which　the　fiercest　monster

might　be　selected　for　the　arena；　and　the　ranks　of　maiden　youth

and　beauty　throughout　the　land　were　carefully　surveyed　by

competent　judges　in　order　that　the　young　man　might　have　a

fitting　bride　in　case　fate　did　not　determine　for　him　a　different

destiny。　Of　course；　everybody　knew　that　the　deed　with　which　the

accused　was　charged　had　been　done。　He　had　loved　the　princess；　and

neither　he；　she；　nor　any　one　else；　thought　of　denying　the　fact；　but

the　king　would　not　think　of　allowing　any　fact　of　this　kind　to

interfere　with　the　workings　of　the　tribunal；　in　which　he　took　such

great　delight　and　satisfaction。　No　matter　how　the　affair　turned

out；　the　youth　would　be　disposed　of；　and　the　king　would　take　an

aesthetic　pleasure　in　watching　the　course　of　events；　which　would

determine　whether　or　not　the　young　man　had　done　wrong　in

allowing　himself　to　love　the　princess。



The　appointed　day　arrived。　From　far　and　near　the　people　gathered；

and　thronged　the　great　galleries　of　the　arena；　and　crowds；　unable

to　gain　admittance；　massed　themselves　against　its　outside　walls。

The　king　and　his　court　were　in　their　places；　opposite　the　twin

doors；　those　fateful　portals；　so　terrible　in　their　similarity。



All　was　ready。　The　signal　was　given。　A　door　beneath　the　royal

party　opened；　and　the　lover　of　the　princess　walked　into　the　arena。

Tall；　beautiful；　fair；　his　appearance　was　greeted　with　a　low　hum

of　admiration　and　anxiety。　Half　the　audience　had　not　known　so

grand　a　youth　had　lived　among　them。　No　wonder　the　princess　loved

him！　What　a　terrible　thing　for　him　to　be　there！



As　the　youth　advanced　into　the　arena　he　turned；　as　the　custom

was；　to　bow　to　the　king；　but　he　did　not　think　at　all　of　that　royal

personage。　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　princess；　who　sat　to　the

right　of　her　father。　Had　it　not　been　for　the　moiety　of　barbarism　in

her　nature　it　is　probable　that　lady　would　not　have　been　there；　but

her　intense　and　fervid　soul　would　not　allow　her　to　be　absent　on　an

occasion　in　which　she　was　so　terribly　interested。　From　the

moment　that　the　decree　had　gone　forth　that　her　lover　should

decide　his　fate　in　the　king's　arena；　she　had　thought　of　nothing；

night　or　day；　but　this　great　event　and　the　various　subjects

connected　with　it。　Possessed　of　more　power；　influence；　and　force

of　character　than　any　one　who　had　ever　before　been　interested　in

such　a　case；　she　had　done　what　no　other　person　had　done；she　had

possessed　herself　of　the　secret　of　the　doors。　She　knew　in　which

of　the　two　rooms；　that　lay　behind　those　doors；　stood　the　cage　of

the　tiger；　with　its　open　front；　and　in　which　waited　the　lady。

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　uni