Love and jealousy are presented as extensions of one another, and the capacity for betrayal is only deepened by the emotional stakes of the courtier’s trial. No one would deny the love between the princess and the courtier, and the courtier’s obvious faith in the princess makes itself known when he unhesitatingly chooses the door that she indicates. The two young lovers are presented as being able to understand one another without the use of words, highlighting the depth of their bond.

However, it is this exact connection that sparks passionate jealousy within the princess. She is possessive of her lover, and she greets the idea of him marrying another woman with despair and anger. The beautiful lady chosen to be the courtier’s bride is direct competition in the princess’s eyes, and the princess questions whether she could stand to watch her beloved fall into the lady’s arms. The princess’s love is not selfless; as she agonizes over the decision regarding her lover's fate, she does not focus on the outcome for him, but rather the outcome for herself. Though she does love the courtier, she also knows that she will lose him one way or another. Rather than gracefully accepting this loss and sending him into the lady’s waiting arms, she instead contemplates whether it might be better to preserve him for herself in death. The conclusion of the story is left intentionally ambiguous, as the princess's decision is not a simple one. Both outcomes are horrifying, so readers are left to wonder whether the princess allowed her love for the courtier to overcome her jealousy, or whether she chose to spare herself the pain of seeing her lover with another woman.