Andnotonlydidsheknowinwhichroomstoodtheladyreadytoemerge，allblushingandradiant，shouldherdoorbeopened，butsheknewwhotheladywas。Itwasoneofthefairestandloveliestofthedamselsofthecourtwhohadbeenselectedastherewardoftheaccusedyouth，shouldhebeprovedinnocentofthecrimeofaspiringtoonesofarabovehim；andtheprincesshatedher。Oftenhadsheseen，orimaginedthatshehadseen，thisfaircreaturethrowingglancesofadmirationuponthepersonofherlover，andsometimesshethoughttheseglanceswereperceived，andevenreturned。Nowandthenshehadseenthemtalkingtogether；itwasbutforamomentortwo，butmuchcanbesaidinabriefspace；itmayhavebeenonmostunimportanttopics，buthowcouldsheknowthat？Thegirlwaslovely，butshehaddaredtoraisehereyestothelovedoneoftheprincess；and，withalltheintensityofthesavagebloodtransmittedtoherthroughlonglinesofwhollybarbaricancestors，shehatedthewomanwhoblushedandtrembledbehindthatsilentdoor。
Whenherloverturnedandlookedather，andhiseyemethersasshesatthere，palerandwhiterthananyoneinthevastoceanofanxiousfacesabouther，hesaw，bythatpowerofquickperceptionwhichisgiventothosewhosesoulsareone，thatsheknewbehindwhichdoorcrouchedthetiger，andbehindwhichstoodthelady。Hehadexpectedhertoknowit。Heunderstoodhernature，andhissoulwasassuredthatshewouldneverrestuntilshehadmadeplaintoherselfthisthing，hiddentoallotherlookers—on，eventotheking。Theonlyhopefortheyouthinwhichtherewasanyelementofcertaintywasbaseduponthesuccessoftheprincessindiscoveringthismystery；andthemomenthelookeduponher，hesawshehadsucceeded，asinhissoulheknewshewouldsucceed。
Thenitwasthathisquickandanxiousglanceaskedthequestion：
\"Which？\"Itwasasplaintoherasifheshouteditfromwherehestood。Therewasnotaninstanttobelost。Thequestionwasaskedinaflash；itmustbeansweredinanother。
Herrightarmlayonthecushionedparapetbeforeher。Sheraisedherhand，andmadeaslight，quickmovementtowardtheright。Noonebutherloversawher。Everyeyebuthiswasfixedonthemaninthearena。
Heturned，andwithafirmandrapidstephewalkedacrosstheemptyspace。Everyheartstoppedbeating，everybreathwasheld，everyeyewasfixedimmovablyuponthatman。Withouttheslightesthesitation，hewenttothedoorontheright，andopenedit。
Now，thepointofthestoryisthis：Didthetigercomeoutofthatdoor，ordidthelady？
Themorewereflectuponthisquestion，theharderitistoanswer。Itinvolvesastudyofthehumanheartwhichleadsusthroughdeviousmazesofpassion，outofwhichitisdifficulttofindourway。Thinkofit，fairreader，notasifthedecisionofthequestiondependeduponyourself，butuponthathot—blooded，semi—barbaricprincess，hersoulatawhiteheatbeneaththecombinedfiresofdespairandjealousy。Shehadlosthim，butwhoshouldhavehim？
Howoften，inherwakinghoursandinherdreams，hadshestartedinwildhorror，andcoveredherfacewithherhandsasshethoughtofherloveropeningthedoorontheothersideofwhichwaitedthecruelfangsofthetiger!
Buthowmuchoftenerhadsheseenhimattheotherdoor!Howinhergrievousreverieshadshegnashedherteeth，andtornherhair，whenshesawhisstartofrapturousdelightasheopenedthedoorofthelady!Howhersoulhadburnedinagonywhenshehadseenhimrushtomeetthatwoman，withherflushingcheekandsparklingeyeoftriumph；whenshehadseenhimleadherforth，hiswholeframekindledwiththejoyofrecoveredlife；whenshehadheardthegladshoutsfromthemultitude，andthewildringingofthehappybells；whenshehadseenthepriest，withhisjoyousfollowers，advancetothecouple，andmakethemmanandwifebeforeherveryeyes；andwhenshehadseenthemwalkawaytogetherupontheirpathofflowers，followedbythetremendousshoutsofthehilariousmultitude，inwhichheronedespairingshriekwaslostanddrowned!
Woulditnotbebetterforhimtodieatonce，andgotowaitforherintheblessedregionsofsemi—barbaricfuturity？
Andyet，thatawfultiger，thoseshrieks，thatblood!
Herdecisionhadbeenindicatedinaninstant，butithadbeenmadeafterdaysandnightsofanguisheddeliberation。Shehadknownshewouldbeasked，shehaddecidedwhatshewouldanswer，and，withouttheslightesthesitation，shehadmovedherhandtotheright。
Thequestionofherdecisionisonenottobelightlyconsidered，anditisnotformetopresumetosetmyselfupastheonepersonabletoanswerit。AndsoIleaveitwithallofyou：Whichcameoutoftheopeneddoor，——thelady，orthetiger？