Final answer:
In "The Lady, or the Tiger," the accused faced a trial by chance, choosing between two doors: one with a lady signifying innocence and one with a tiger signifying guilt and death.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the short story "The Lady, or the Tiger", when a subject was accused of a crime, they faced a peculiar form of trial. The fate of the accused was determined by chance in an arena. The accused had to open one of two doors: behind one door was a lady, which meant marriage and innocence; behind the other was a fierce tiger, meaning guilt and immediate death. The choice and its outcome was unpredictable, symbolizing the arbitrary nature of justice and the consequences of actions based entirely on chance or whim.