Through the Looking-Glass

that it had eyes and a nose and mouth; and when she had come close to it, she saw clearly that it was HUMPTY DUMPTY himsel

Turk, on the top of a high wall-such a narrow one that Alice quite wondered how he could keep his balance-and, as his eyes were ste

oud, standing with her hands ready to catch him,

after a long silence, looking away from Al

ined. 'And some eggs are very pretty, you know' she adde

, looking away from her as usual,

she thought, as he never said anything to her; in fact, his last remark was

umpty sat

pty had a

horses and al

mpty Dumpty in

poetry,' she added, almost out loud, forg

t,' Humpty Dumpty said, looking at her for the fir

is Alic

Humpty Dumpty interrupted imp

something?' Alic

my name means the shape I am-and a good handsome shape it is,

l alone?' said Alice, not w

ried Humpty Dumpty. 'Did you think I did

not with any idea of making another riddle, but simply in her good-n

fall off-which there's no chance of-but if I did-' Here he pursed his lips and looked so solemn and grand that Alic

nd all his men,' Alice in

into a sudden passion. 'You've been listening at doors-and b

Alice said very gen

never see such another: and to show you I'm not proud, you may shake hands with me!' And he grinned almost from ear to ear, as he leant forwards (and as nearly as possible fell off the wall in doing so) and offered Alice h

pick me up again in a minute, they would! However, this conversation i

uite remember it,' Al

choose a subject-' ('He talks about it just as if it was a game!' thou

ulation, and said 'Seve

laimed triumphantly. 'You

t "How old are you

I'd have said it,'

begin another argumen

lly. 'An uncomfortable sort of age. Now if you'd asked my advi

about growing,' Al

?' the oth

his suggestion. 'I mean,' she said,

ty, 'but two can. With proper assistan

t you've got on!' Ali

e corrected herself on second thoughts, 'a beautiful cravat, I should have said-no, a belt, I mean-I beg your pardon!' she added in dismay, for Humpty Dumpty l

gh he said nothing for a minute or two. When

e said at last, 'when a person do

e,' Alice said, in so humble a

l one, as you say. It's a present fro

e pleased to find that she had c

as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his han

n?' Alice said wi

nded,' said H

is an un-bir

en it isn't your bi

. 'I like birthday presen

ng about!' cried Humpty Dumpty. '

and sixty-fiv

ny birthday

ne

om three hundred and si

and sixty-fou

tful. 'I'd rather see tha

she took out her memorandum-b

6

_

6

_

looked at it carefully. 'That s

t upside down!' A

queer. As I was saying, that seems to be done right-though I haven't time to look it over thoroughly just

ly,' sai

day presents, you know.

t you mean by "gl

urse you don't-till I tell you. I meant "th

n "a nice knock-down arg

rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what

'whether you can make words m

Humpty Dumpty, 'which is

a temper, some of them-particularly verbs, they're the proudest-adjectives you can do anything wit

please,' said Alic

"impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd me

ake one word mean,' Alice

work like that,' said Humpty D

was too much puzzled t

ght,' Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely

what he paid them with; and

ir,' said Alice. 'Would you kindly tell me t

lain all the poems that were ever invented-and

peful, so Alice repe

ig, and the

nd gimble

were the

ome raths

are plenty of hard words there. "Brillig" means four o'clock in t

well,' said Alice

the same as "active." You see it's like a portmant

remarked thoughtfully:

gers-they're something like lizards-a

ery curious loo

: 'also they make their nests under

he "gyre" and

und like a gyroscope. To "gimble

ound a sun-dial, I suppose?' said A

you know, because it goes a long way

eyond it on each

ther portmanteau for you). And a "borogove" is a thin shabby-looking bi

Alice. 'I'm afraid I'm givin

I'm not certain about. I think it's short for "from

does "outg

n the middle: however, you'll hear it done, maybe-down in the wood yonder-and when you've

had some poetry repeated to me, much easie

tching out one of his great hands, 'I can repeat p

!' Alice hastily said, hopin

nt on without noticing her remark, 'wa

y ought to listen to it, so she sat do

when the fie

song for y

it,' he added, a

don't,' s

, you've sharper eyes than most.' Humpty D

hen woods are

d tell you

very much,'

when the d

'll underst

hen the leav

ink, and wr

remember it so l

ke that,' Humpty Dumpty said: 'they'

message to

"This is w

e fishes

an answer

e fishes'

do it, Sir,

n't quite unders

urther on,' Humpt

o them ag

be better

answered

a temper

once, I told

not liste

ettle larg

he deed I

hop, my hear

he kettle

ne came to

e fishes a

him, I sai

ust wake th

very loud

shouted i

he repeated this verse, and Alice thought with a shud

very stiff

needn't sho

very prou

d go and wa

rkscrew fro

wake them

ound the doo

ushed and kick

found the d

turn the ha

as a lo

l?' Alice t

aid Humpty Dump

ght to be going, she felt that it would hardly be civil to stay. So she got up, and h

ty replied in a discontented tone, giving her one of his

by, generally,' Alice rem

(marking their places in the air with this thumb) 'nose in the middle, mouth under. It's always the same. Now if

ed. But Humpty Dumpty only shut his e

r to this, she quietly walked away: but she couldn't help saying to herself as she went, 'Of all the unsatisfactory-' (she repeated this aloud, as it was a great comfort to h