第2章
加入书架 A- A+
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  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。

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