Theinstitutionwasaverypopularone。Whenthepeoplegatheredtogetherononeofthegreattrialdays,theyneverknewwhethertheyweretowitnessabloodyslaughterorahilariouswedding。
  Thiselementofuncertaintylentaninteresttotheoccasionwhichitcouldnototherwisehaveattained。Thus,themasseswereentertainedandpleased,andthethinkingpartofthecommunitycouldbringnochargeofunfairnessagainstthisplan,fordidnottheaccusedpersonhavethewholematterinhisownhands?
  Thissemi—barbarickinghadadaughterasbloomingashismostfloridfancies,andwithasoulasferventandimperiousashisown。Asisusualinsuchcases,shewastheappleofhiseye,andwaslovedbyhimaboveallhumanity。Amonghiscourtierswasayoungmanofthatfinenessofbloodandlownessofstationcommontotheconventionalheroesofromancewholoveroyalmaidens。Thisroyalmaidenwaswellsatisfiedwithherlover,forhewashandsomeandbravetoadegreeunsurpassedinallthiskingdom,andshelovedhimwithanardorthathadenoughofbarbarisminittomakeitexceedinglywarmandstrong。Thisloveaffairmovedonhappilyformanymonths,untilonedaythekinghappenedtodiscoveritsexistence。Hedidnothesitatenorwaverinregardtohisdutyinthepremises。Theyouthwasimmediatelycastintoprison,andadaywasappointedforhistrialintheking'sarena。This,ofcourse,wasanespeciallyimportantoccasion,andhismajesty,aswellasallthepeople,wasgreatlyinterestedintheworkingsanddevelopmentofthistrial。Neverbeforehadsuchacaseoccurred;neverbeforehadasubjectdaredtolovethedaughteroftheking。Inafteryearssuchthingsbecamecommonplaceenough,butthentheywereinnoslightdegreenovelandstartling。
  Thetiger—cagesofthekingdomweresearchedforthemostsavageandrelentlessbeasts,fromwhichthefiercestmonstermightbeselectedforthearena;andtheranksofmaidenyouthandbeautythroughoutthelandwerecarefullysurveyedbycompetentjudgesinorderthattheyoungmanmighthaveafittingbrideincasefatedidnotdetermineforhimadifferentdestiny。Ofcourse,everybodyknewthatthedeedwithwhichtheaccusedwaschargedhadbeendone。Hehadlovedtheprincess,andneitherhe,she,noranyoneelse,thoughtofdenyingthefact;butthekingwouldnotthinkofallowinganyfactofthiskindtointerferewiththeworkingsofthetribunal,inwhichhetooksuchgreatdelightandsatisfaction。Nomatterhowtheaffairturnedout,theyouthwouldbedisposedof,andthekingwouldtakeanaestheticpleasureinwatchingthecourseofevents,whichwoulddeterminewhetherornottheyoungmanhaddonewronginallowinghimselftolovetheprincess。
  Theappointeddayarrived。Fromfarandnearthepeoplegathered,andthrongedthegreatgalleriesofthearena,andcrowds,unabletogainadmittance,massedthemselvesagainstitsoutsidewalls。
  Thekingandhiscourtwereintheirplaces,oppositethetwindoors,thosefatefulportals,soterribleintheirsimilarity。
  Allwasready。Thesignalwasgiven。Adoorbeneaththeroyalpartyopened,andtheloveroftheprincesswalkedintothearena。
  Tall,beautiful,fair,hisappearancewasgreetedwithalowhumofadmirationandanxiety。Halftheaudiencehadnotknownsograndayouthhadlivedamongthem。Nowondertheprincesslovedhim!Whataterriblethingforhimtobethere!
  Astheyouthadvancedintothearenaheturned,asthecustomwas,tobowtotheking,buthedidnotthinkatallofthatroyalpersonage。Hiseyeswerefixedupontheprincess,whosattotherightofherfather。Haditnotbeenforthemoietyofbarbarisminhernatureitisprobablethatladywouldnothavebeenthere,butherintenseandfervidsoulwouldnotallowhertobeabsentonanoccasioninwhichshewassoterriblyinterested。Fromthemomentthatthedecreehadgoneforththatherlovershoulddecidehisfateintheking'sarena,shehadthoughtofnothing,nightorday,butthisgreateventandthevarioussubjectsconnectedwithit。Possessedofmorepower,influence,andforceofcharacterthananyonewhohadeverbeforebeeninterestedinsuchacase,shehaddonewhatnootherpersonhaddone,——shehadpossessedherselfofthesecretofthedoors。Sheknewinwhichofthetworooms,thatlaybehindthosedoors,stoodthecageofthetiger,withitsopenfront,andinwhichwaitedthelady。
  Throughthesethickdoors,heavilycurtainedwithskinsontheinside,itwasimpossiblethatanynoiseorsuggestionshouldcomefromwithintothepersonwhoshouldapproachtoraisethelatchofoneofthem。Butgold,andthepowerofawoman'swill,hadbroughtthesecrettotheprincess。