Through the Looking-Glass

it is, your majesty,' she went on in a severe tone (she was always rather fond of scolding herself), 'it

come off: but she comforted herself with the thought that there was nobody to see her, 'and if I r

one on each side: she would have liked very much to ask them how they came there, but she feared it would not be quite civil. However, the

oken to!' The Queen s

e argument, 'and if you only spoke when you were spoken to, and the other person

suddenly changed the subject of the conversation. 'What do you mean by "If you really are a Queen"? What right have you to call

poor Alice pleaded

d the Red Queen remarked, with a little

t!' the White Queen moaned, wringing her

to Alice. 'Always speak the truth-think bef

was beginning, but the Red Que

of child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning-and a child's more i

ngs with my hands

d the Red Queen. 'I said y

hite Queen, 'that she wants to deny somet

en remarked; and then there was an unc

ing to the White Queen, 'I invite you

led feebly, and sai

ll,' said Alice; 'but if there is to be o

the Red Queen remarked: 'but I daresay yo

' said Alice. 'Lessons teach you to

d. 'What's one and one and one and one and

' said Alice.

Queen interrupted. 'Can you do Su

t, you know,' Alice rep

e Queen. 'Can you do Division? Divide a l

wered for her. 'Bread-and-butter, of course. Try anothe

se, if I took it-and the dog wouldn't remain; it wou

hing would remain?'

that's th

the Red Queen: 'the do

don't s

een cried. 'The dog would lo

ld,' Alice repl

ts temper would remain!' the

o different ways.' But she couldn't help thinking

!' the Queens said toget

suddenly on the White Queen, for she di

do Addition, if you give me time-but I can'

ow your A B C?' s

e I do.' s

, dear. And I'll tell you a secret-I can read words of one letter! Isn'

'Can you answer useful questions

e cried eagerly. 'Y

?' the White Queen asked. 'In

d at all,' Alice expl

aid the White Queen. 'You mus

fter so much thinking.' So they set to work and fanned her with bunches of

e Red Queen. 'Do you know Languages?

not English,' Ali

it was?' said

e. 'If you'll tell me what language "fiddle-de-dee" is, I'

f up rather stiffly, and said

asked questions,' Ali

e Queen said in an anxious tone.

she felt quite certain about this, 'is the thunder-no, no

Queen: 'when you've once said a thing, that

sly clasping and unclasping her hands, 'we had such a thunderstor

ountry,' she remarked, 'ther

e mostly have days and nights two or three at a time, and sometimes in t

than one night, then?'

s as warm,

five times as cold

arm, and five times as cold-just as I'm five tim

'It's exactly like a riddle

n a low voice, more as if she were talking to herself

want?' said t

ause he was looking for a hippopotamus. Now, as it happen

y?' Alice asked in

Thursdays,' s

said Alice: 'he wanted to

the Red Queen.) 'And part of the roof came off, and ever so much thunder got in-and it went rolling round the room

the middle of an accident! Where would be the use of it?' but she d

of the White Queen's hands in her own, and gently stroking it: 'she me

felt she ought to say something kind, but rea

t's amazing how good-tempered she is! Pat her on the head, and see ho

tting her hair in papers-

and laid her head on Alice's shoul

Queen. 'Smooth her hair-lend her your ni

ce, as she tried to obey the first direction

then,' said the Red

lady, in

s ready, we've

's over, we'll

White Queen, an

ice's other shoulder, 'just sing it through to me. I'm getting sleepy,

mp in her lap. 'I don't think it ever happened before, that any one had to take care of two Queens asleep at once! No, not in all the History of England-it couldn't, you

at last she could even make out the words, and she listened so eagerly tha

N ALICE in large letters, and on each side of the arch there was a bell-

bell must I ring?' she went on, very much puzzled by the names. 'I'm not a vi

ong beak put its head out for a moment and said 'No admittance

old Frog, who was sitting under a tree, got up and hobbled slowly to

the Frog said in a

anybody. 'Where's the servant whose business

or?' said

tion at the slow drawl in which

: then he went nearer and rubbed it with his thumb, as if he were

s it been asking of?' He was so hoars

what you mea

the Frog went on. 'Or are yo

d impatiently. 'I've

he went up and gave the door a kick with one of his great feet. 'You let it alone,'

as flung open, and a shri

lass world it was

in hand, I've a

Glass creatures,

he Red Queen, the Wh

f voices joine

he glasses as q

e table with bu

e coffee, and

n Alice with thi

'Thirty times three makes ninety. I wonder if any one's counting?' In a mi

creatures," quoth

to see me, a

ge high to hav

d Queen, the Whit

the chor

he glasses with

se that is ple

e cider, and woo

n Alice with nin

that'll never be done! I'd better go in at once-' a

guests, of all kinds: some were animals, some birds, and there were even a few flowers among them. 'I'm glad they'

ad already taken two of them, but the middle one was empty. Alice sat down i

'Put on the joint!' And the waiters set a leg of mutton before Alice, who

. 'Alice-Mutton; Mutton-Alice.' The leg of mutton got up in the dish and made a little

taking up the knife and fork, and

te to cut any one you've been introduced to. Remove the joint!' And th

se,' Alice said rather hastily, 'or we shal

e; Alice-Pudding. Remove the pudding!' and the waiters to

the pudding!' and there it was again in a moment like a conjuring-trick. It was so large that she couldn't help feeling a little shy wit

'I wonder how you'd like it, if I were

and Alice hadn't a word to say in reply: s

en: 'it's ridiculous to leave all

that, the moment she opened her lips, there was dead silence, and all eyes were fixed upon her; 'and it's a very curi

' she said, very slowly and solemnly, putting her mouth close to Alice's ear, 'her Whi

ueen murmured into Alice's other ear, in a voice like th

Alice said

th delight, and stroked Al

e fish must

aby, I think, cou

fish must

enny, I think, wo

ok me t

will not take mo

lie in

because it alr

here! Le

set such a dis

e dish-c

hard that I f

olds it

he dish, while it

s easie

e fish, or dishc

directly, and very queerly they managed it: some of them put their glasses upon their heads like extinguishers, and drank all that trickled down their faces-others upset the decanters, and drank the wine a

neat speech,' the Red Queen sai

Queen whispered, as Alice got up to do it

whispered in reply, 'but I

Red Queen said very decidedly: so Alice

e was telling her sister the history of the feast. 'Y

ne on each side, that they nearly lifted her up into the air: 'I rise to return thanks-' Alice began: and she really di

te Queen, seizing Alice's hair with both

ushes with fireworks at the top. As to the bottles, they each took a pair of plates, which they hastily fitted on as wings, and so, with forks for legs, went f

, there was the leg of mutton sitting in the chair. 'Here I am!' cried a voice from the soup tureen, and Alice turned again, just in time

ing down in the dishes, and the soup ladle was walking up the table towa

the table-cloth with both hands: one good pull, and plates, dishes, g

e mischief-but the Queen was no longer at her side-she had suddenly dwindled down to the size of a little doll

sed at anything now. 'As for you,' she repeated, catching hold of the little creature in the very act of