Although appearing ambiguous, Stockton’s ending proves to be lucid: the lady came out of the door. The princess had loved the youth “with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong”. She was “satisfied with her lover”. The princess even “possessed herself of the secret of the doors”, something that “no other person had done”. This proposes that she wanted to eliminate any possibility in which her lover may choose the door encompassing “the fiercest and most cruel” tiger “that could be procured”. Why else would such an inconvenience be executed? It is true that the princess had “gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair” as she dreamt of the youth opening “the door of the lady”. However, Stockton uses phrases