With it: it was the black kitten's fault entirely

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS by LEWIS CARROLL CHAPTER 1 Looking-Glass house One thing was certain, that the WHITE kitten had had nothing to do with it: - it was the black kitten's fault entirely. For the white kitten had been having its face washed by the old cat for the last quarter of an hour (and bearing it pretty well, considering); so you see that it COULDN'T have had any hand in the mischief. The way Dinah washed her children's faces was this: first she held the poor thing down by its ear with one paw, and then with the other paw she rubbed its face all over, the wrong way, beginning at the nose: and just now, as I said, she was hard at work on the white kitten, which was lying quite still and trying to purr - no doubt feeling that it was all meant for its good. But the black kitten had been finished with earlier in the afternoon, and so, while Alice was sitting curled up in a corner of the great arm-chair, half talking to herself and half asleep, the kitten had been having a grand game of romps with the ball of worsted Alice had been trying to wind up, and had been rolling it up and down till it had all come undone again; and there it was, spread over the hearth-rug, all knots and tangles, with the kitten running after its own tail in the middle. - Oh, you wicked little thing! - cried Alice, catching up the kitten,and giving it a little kiss to make it understand that it was in disgrace.- Really, Dinah ought to have taught you better manners! You OUGHT, Dinah,you know you ought! - she added, looking reproachfully at the old cat, andspeaking in as cross a voice as she could manage - and then she scrambledback into the arm-chair, taking the kitten and the worsted with her, andbegan winding up the ball again. But she didn't get on very fast, as shewas talking all the time, sometimes to the kitten, and sometimes toherself. Kitty sat very demurely on her knee, pretending to watch theprogress of the winding, and now and then putting out one paw and gentlytouching the ball, as if it would be glad to help, if it might. - Do you know what to-morrow is, Kitty? - Alice began. - You'd haveguessed if you'd been up in the window with me - only Dinah was making youtidy, so you couldn't. I was watching the boys getting in stick for thebonfire - and it wants plenty of sticks, Kitty! Only it got so cold, andit snowed so, they had to leave off. Never mind, Kitty, we'll go and seethe bonfire to-morrow. - Here Alice wound two or three turns of theworsted round the kitten's neck, just to see how it would look: this ledto a scramble, in which the ball rolled down upon the floor, and yards andyards of it got unwound again. - Do you know, I was so angry, Kitty, - Alice went on as soon as theywere comfortably settled again, - when I saw all the mischief you had beendoing, I was very nearly opening the window, and putting you out into thesnow! And you'd have deserved it, you little mischievous darling! Whathave you got to say for yourself? Now don't interrupt me! - she went on,holding up one finger. - I'm going to tell you all your faults. Numberone: you squeaked twice while Dinah was washing your face this morning.Now you can't deny it, Kitty: I heard you! What that you say? -(pretending that the kitten was speaking.) - Her paw went into your eye?Well, that's YOUR fault, for keeping your eyes open - if you'd shut themtight up, it wouldn't have happened. Now don't make any more excuses, butlisten! Number two: you pulled Snowdrop away by the tail just as I had putdown the saucer of milk before her! What, you were thirsty, were you? Howdo you know she wasn't thirsty too? Now for number three: you unwoundevery bit of the worsted while I wasn't looking! - That's three faults, Kitty, and you've not been punished for any ofthem yet. You know I'm saving up all your punishments for Wednesday week -Suppose they had saved up all MY punishments! - she went on, talking moreto herself than the kitten. - What WOULD they do at the end of a year? Ishould be sent to prison, I suppose, when the day came. Or - let me see -suppose each punishment was to be going without a dinner: then, when themiserable day came, I should have to go without fifty dinners at once!Well, I shouldn't mind THAT much! I'd far rather go without them than eatthem! - Do you hear the snow against the window-panes, Kitty? How nice andsoft it sounds! Just as if some one was kissing the window all overoutside. I wonder if the snow LOVES the trees and fields, that it kissesthem so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a whitequilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comesagain." And when they wake up in the summer, Kitty, they dress themselvesall in green, and dance about - whenever the wind blows - oh, that's verypretty! - cried Alice, dropping the ball of worsted to clap her hands. -And I do so WISH it was true! I'm sure the woods look sleepy in theautumn, when the leaves are getting brown. - Kitty, can you play chess? Now, don't smile, my dear, I'm asking itseriously. Because, when we were playing just now, you watched just as ifyou understood it: and when I said "Check!" you purred! Well, it WAS anice check, Kitty, and really I might have won, if it hadn't been for thatnasty Knight, that came wiggling down among my pieces. Kitty, dear, let'spretend - And here I wish I could tell you half the things Alice used tosay, beginning with her favourite phrase - Let's pretend. - She had hadquite a long argument with her sister only the say before - all becauseAlice had begun with - Let's pretend we're kings and queens; - and hersister, who liked being very exact, had argued that they couldn't, becausethere were only two of them, and Alice had been reduced at last to say, -Well, YOU can be one of them then, and I'LL be all the rest." And once shehad really frightened her old nurse by shouting suddenly in her ear, -Nurse! Do let's pretend that I'm a hungry hyaena, and you're a bone. But this is taking us away from Alice's speech to the kitten. - Let's pretend that you're the Red Queen, Kitty! Do you know, I think if you sat up and folded your arms, you'd look exactly like her. Now do try, there's a dear! - And Alice got the Red Queen off the table, and set it up before the kitten as a model for it to imitate: however, the thing didn't succeed, principally, Alice said, because the kitten wouldn't fold its arms properly. So, to punish it, she held it up to the Looking-glass, that it might see how sulky it was - and if you're not good directly, - she added, - I'll put you through into Looking-glass House. How would you like THAT? - Now, if you'll only attend, Kitty, and not talk so much, I'll tellyou all my ideas about Looking-glass House. First, there's the room youcan see through the glass - that's just the same as our drawing room, onlythe things go the other way. I can see all of it when I get upon a chair -all but the bit behind the fireplace. Oh! I do so wish I could see THATbit! I want so much to know whether they've a fire in the winter: younever CAN tell, you know, unless our fire smokes, and then smoke comes upin that room too - but that may be only pretence, just to make it look asif they had a fire. Well then, the books are something like our books,only the words go the wrong way; I know that, because I've held up one ofour books to the glass, and then they hold up one in the other room. - How would you like to live in Looking-glass House, Kitty? I wonderif they'd give you milk in there? Perhaps Looking-glass milk isn't good todrink - But oh, Kitty! now we come to the passage. You can just see alittle PEEP of the passage in Looking-glass House, if you leave the doorof our drawing-room wide open: and it's very like our passage as far asyou can see, only you know it may be quite different on beyond. Oh, Kitty!how nice it would be if we could only get through into Lookingglass House!I'm sure it's got, oh! such beautiful things in it! Let's pretend there'sa way of getting through into it, somehow, Kitty. Let's pretend the glasshas got all soft like gauze, so that we can get through. Why, it's turninginto a sort of mist now, I declare! It'll be easy enough to get throughShe was up on the chimney-piece while she said this, though she hardlyknew how she had got there. And certainly the glass WAS beginning to meltaway, just like a bright silvery mist. In another moment Alice was through the glass, and had jumped lightly down into the Looking-glass room. The very first thing she did was to look whether there was a fire in the fireplace, and she was quite pleased to find that there was a real one, blazing away as brightly as the one she had left behind. - So I shall be as warm here as I was in the old room, - thought Alice: - warmer, in fact, because there'll be no one here to scold me away from the fire. Oh, what fun it'll be, when they see me through the glass in here, and can't get at me! Then she began looking about, and noticed that what could be seen from the old room was quite common and uninteresting, but that all the rest was a different as possible. For instance, the pictures on the wall next the fire seemed to be all alive, and the very clock on the chimney-piece (you know you can only see the back of it in the Looking-glass) had got the face of a little old man, and grinned at her. - They don't keep this room so tidy as the other, - Alice thought toherself, as she noticed several of the chessmen down in the hearth amongthe cinders: but in another moment, with a little - Oh! - of surprise, shewas down on her hands and knees watching them. The chessmen were walkingabout, two and two! - Here are the Red King and the Red Queen, - Alice said (in awhisper, for fear of frightening them), - and there are the White King andthe White Queen sitting on the edge of the shovel - and here are twocastles walking arm in arm - I don't think they can hear me, she went on,as she put her head closer down, - and I'm nearly sure they can't see me.I feel somehow as if I were invisible Here something began squeaking on the table behind Alice, and made her turn her head just in time to see one of the White Pawns roll over and begin kicking: she watched it with great curiosity to see what would happen next. - It is the voice of my child! - the White Queen cried out as sherushed past the King, so violently that she knocked him over among thecinders. - My precious Lily! My imperial kitten! - and she beganscrambling wildly up the side of the fender. - Imperial fiddlestick! - said the King, rubbing his nose, which hadbeen hurt by the fall. He had a right to be a LITTLE annoyed with theQueen, for he was covered with ashes from head to foot. Alice was very anxious to be of use, and, as the poor little Lily was nearly screaming herself into a fit, she hastily picked up the Queen and set her on the table by the side of her noisy little daughter. The Queen gasped, and sat down: the rapid journey through the air had quite taken away her breath and for a minute or two she could do nothing but hug the little Lily in silence. As soon as she had recovered her breath a little, she called out to the White King, who was sitting sulkily among the ashes, - Mind the volcano! - What volcano? - said the Kind, looking up anxiously into the fire,as if he thought that was the most likely place to find one. - Blew - me - up, - panted the Queen, who was still a little out ofbreath. - Mind you come up - the regular way - don't get blown up! Alice watched the White King as he slowly struggled up from bar to bar, till at last she said, - Why, you'll be hours and hours getting to the table, at that rate. I'd far better help you, hadn't I? - But the King took no notice of the question: it was quite clear that he could neither hear her nor see her. So Alice picked him up very gently, and lifted him across more slowly than she had lifted the Queen, that she mightn't take his breath away: but, before she put him on the table, she thought she might as well dust him a little, he was so covered with ashes. She said afterwards that she had never seen in all her life such a face as the King made, when he found himself held in the air by an invisible hand, and being dusted: he was far too much astonished to cry out, but his eyes and his mouth went on getting larger and larger, and rounder and rounder, till her hand shook so with laughing that she nearly let him drop upon the floor. - Oh! PLEASE don't make such faces, my dear! - she cried out, quiteforgetting that the King couldn't hear her. - You make me laugh so that Ican hardly hold you! And don't keep your mouth so wide open! All the asheswill get into it - there, now I think you're tidy enough! - she added, asshe smoothed his hair, and set him upon the table near the Queen. The King immediately fell flat on his back, and lay perfectly still: and Alice was a little alarmed at what she had done, and went round the room to see if she could find any water to throw over him. However, she could find nothing but a bottle of ink, and when she got back with it she found he had recovered, and he and the Queen were talking together in a frightened whisper - so low, that Alice could hardly hear what they said. The King was saying, - I assure, you my dear, I turned cold to the very ends of my whiskers! To which the Queen replied, - You haven't got any whiskers. - The horror of that moment, - the King went on, - I shall never, NEVER forget! - You will, though, - the Queen said, - if you don't make amemorandum of it. Alice looked on with great interest as the King took an enormous memorandum-book out of his pocket, and began writing. A sudden thought struck her, and she took hold of the end of the pencil, which came some way over his shoulder, and began writing for him. The poor King look puzzled and unhappy, and struggled with the pencil for some time without saying anything; but Alice was too strong for him, and at last he panted out, - My dear! I really MUST get a thinner pencil. I can't manage this one a bit; it writes all manner of things that I don't intend - What manner of things? - said the Queen, looking over the book (inwhich Alice had put - THE WHITE KNIGHT IS SLIDING DOWN THE POKER. HEBALANCES VERY BADLY') - That's not a memorandum of YOUR feelings! There was a book lying near Alice on the table, and while she sat watching the White King (for she was still a little anxious about him, and had the ink all ready to throw over him, in case he fainted again), she turned over the leaves, to find some part that she could read, - for it's all in some language I don't know, - she said to herself. It was like this. YKCOWREBBAJ sevot yhtils eht dna ,gillirb sawT ebaw eht ni elbmig dna eryg diD ,sevogorob eht erew ysmim llA .ebargtuo shtar emom eht dnA She puzzled over this for some time, but at last a bright thought struck her. - Why, it's a Looking-glass book, of course! And if I hold it up to a glass, the words will all go the right way again." This was the poem that Alice read. JABBERWOCKY - Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. - Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jujub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch! He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought So rested he by the Tumtum gree, And stood awhile in thought. And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wook, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. - And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Calloh! Callay! He chortled in his joy. - Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. - It seems very pretty, - she said when she had finished it, - butit's RATHER hard to understand! - (You see she didn't like to confess,ever to herself, that she couldn't make it out at all.) - Somehow it seemsto fill my head with ideas - only I don't exactly know what they are!However, SOMEBODY killed SOMETHING: that's clear, at any rate - But oh! - thought Alice, suddenly jumping up, - if I don't make haste I shall have to go back through the Looking-glass, before I've seen what the rest of the house is like! Let's have a look at the garden first! - She was out of the room in a moment, and ran down stairs or, at least, it wasn't exactly running, but a new invention of hers for getting down stairs quickly and easily, as Alice said to herself. She just kept the tips of her fingers on the hand-rail, and floated gently down without even touching the stairs with her feet; then she floated on through the hall, and would have gone straight out at the door in the same way, if she hadn't caught hold of the door-post. She was getting a little giddy with so much floating in the air, and was rather glad to find herself walking again in the natural way. ^ CHAPTER II The Garden of Live Flowers - I should see the garden far better, - said Alice to herself, - if Icould get to the top of that hill: and here's a path that leads straightto it - at least, no, it doesn't do that - (after going a few yards alongthe path, and turning several sharp corners), - but I suppose it will atlast. But how curiously it twists! It's more like a corkscrew than a path!Well, THIS turn goes to the hill, I suppose - no, it doesn't! This goesstraight back to the house! Well then, I'll try it the other way. And so she did: wandering up and down, and trying turn after turn, but always coming back to the house, do what she would. Indeed, once, when she turned a corner rather more quickly than usual, she ran against it before she could stop herself. - It's no use talking about it," Alice said, looking up at the houseand pretending it was arguing with her. - I'm NOT going in again yet. Iknow I should have to get through the Looking-glass again - back into theold room - and there'd be an end of all my adventures! So, resolutely turning back upon the house, she set out once more down the path, determined to keep straight on till she got to the hill. For a few minutes all went on well, and she was just saying, - I really SHALL do it this time - when the path gave a sudden twist and shook itself (as she described it afterwards), and the next moment she found herself actually walking in at the door. - Oh, it's too bad! - she cried. - I never saw such a house for getting in the way! Never! However, there was the hill full in sight, so there was nothing to be done but start again. This time she came upon a large flower-bed, with a border of daisies, and a willow-tree growing in the middle. - O Tiger-lily, - said Alice, addressing herself to one that waswaving gracefully about in the wind, - I WISH you could talk! - We CAN talk, - said the Tiger-lily: - when there's anybody worthtalking to. Alice was so astonished that she could not speak for a minute: it quite seemed to take her breath away. At length, as the Tiger-lily only went on waving about, she spoke again, in a timid voice almost in a whisper. - And can ALL the flowers talk? - As well as YOU can, - said the Tiger-lily. - And a great deallouder. - It isn't manners for us to begin, you know, - said the Rose, - andI really was wondering when you'd speak! Said I to myself, "Her face hasgot SOME sense in it, thought it's not a clever one!" Still, you're theright colour, and that goes a long way. - I don't care about the colour, - the Tiger-lily remarked. - If onlyher petals curled up a little more, she'd be all right. Alice didn't like being criticised, so she began asking questions. - Aren't you sometimes frightened at being planted out here, with nobody to take care of you? - There's the tree in the middle, - said the Rose: - what else is itgood for? - But what could it do, if any danger came? - Alice asked. - It says "Bough-wough!" cried a Daisy: - that's why its branches arecalled boughs! - Didn't you know THAT? - cried another Daisy, and here they allbegan shouting together, till the air seemed quite full of little shrillvoices. - Silence, every one of you! - cried the Tigerlily, waving itselfpassionately from side to side, and trembling with excitement. - They knowI can't get at them! - it panted, bending its quivering head towardsAlice, - or they wouldn't dare to do it! - Never mind! - Alice said in a soothing tone, and stooping down tothe daisies, who were just beginning again, she whispered, - If you don'thold your tongues, I'll pick you! There was silence in a moment, and several of the pink daisies turned white. - That's right! - said the Tiger-lily. - The daisies are worst ofall. When one speaks, they all begin together, and it's enough to make onewither to hear the way they go on! - How is it you can all talk so nicely? - Alice said, hoping to getit into a better temper by a compliment. - I've been in many gardensbefore, but none of the flowers could talk. - Put your hand down, and feel the ground, - said the Tiger-lily. -Then you'll know why. Alice did so. - It's very hard, - she said, - but I don't see what that has to do with it. - In most gardens, - the Tiger-lily said, - they make the beds toosoft - so that the flowers are always asleep. This sounded a very good reason, and Alice was quite pleased to know it. - I never thought of that before! - she said. - It's MY opinion that you never think AT ALL, - the Rose said in arather severe tone. - I never say anybody that looked stupider, - a Violet said, sosuddenly, that Alice quite jumped; for it hadn't spoken before. - Hold YOUR tongue! - cried the Tiger-lily. - As if YOU ever sawanybody! You keep your head under the leaves, and snore away there, tillyou know no more what's going on in the world, that if you were a bud! - Are there any more people in the garden besides me? - Alice said,not choosing to notice the Rose's last remark. - There's one other flower in the garden that can move about likeyou, - said the Rose. - I wonder how you do it - ( - You're alwayswondering, - said the Tiger-lily), - but she's more bushy than you are. - Is she like me? - Alice asked eagerly, for the thought crossed hermind, - There's another little girl in the garden, somewhere! - Well, she has the same awkward shape as you, - the Rose said, - butshe's redder - and her petals are shorter, I think. - Her petals are done up close, almost like a dahlia, - theTiger-lily interrupted: - not tumbled about anyhow, like yours. - But that's not YOUR fault, - the Rose added kindly: - you'rebeginning to fade, you know - and then one can't help one's petals gettinga little untidy. Alice didn't like this idea at all: so, to change the subject, she asked - Does she ever come out here? - I daresay you'll see her soon, - said the Rose. - She's one of thethorny kind. - Where does she wear the thorns? - Alice asked with some curiosity. - Why all round her head, of course, - the Rose replied. - I waswondering YOU hadn't got some too. I thought it was the regular rule. - She's coming! - cried the Larkspur. - I hear her footstep, thump,thump, thump, along the gravel-walk! Alice looked round eagerly, and found that it was the Red Queen. - She's grown a good deal! - was her first remark. She had indeed: when Alice first found her in the ashes, she had been only three inches high - and here she was, half a head taller than Alice herself! - It's the fresh air that does it, - said the Rose: - wonderfullyfine air it is, out here. "I think I'll go and meet her, - said Alice, for, though the flowers were interesting enough, she felt that it would be far grander to have a talk with a real Queen. - You can't possibly do that, - said the Rose: - _I_ should adviseyou to walk the other way. This sounded nonsense to Alice, so she said nothing, but set off at once towards the Red Queen. To her surprise, she lost sight of her in a moment, and found herself walking in at the front-door again. A little provoked, she drew back, and after looking everywhere for the queen (whom she spied out at last, a long way off), she thought she would try the plan, this time, of walking in the opposite direction. It succeeded beautifully. She had not been walking a minute before she found herself face to face with the Red Queen, and full in sight of the hill she had been so long aiming at. - Where do you come from? - said the Red Queen. - And where are yougoing? Look up, speak nicely, and don't twiddle your fingers all the time.Alice attended to all these directions, and explained, as well as shecould, that she had lost her way. - I don't know what you mean by YOUR way, - said the Queen: - all theways about here belong to ME - but why did you come out here at all? - sheadded in a kinder tone. - Curtsey while you - re thinking what to say, itsaves time. Alice wondered a little at this, but she was too much in awe of the Queen to disbelieve it. - I'll try it when I go home, - she thought to herself. - the next time I'm a little late for dinner. - It's time for you to answer now, - the Queen said, looking at herwatch: - open your mouth a LITTLE wider when you speak, and always say"your Majesty." - I only wanted to see what the garden was like, your Majesty - That's right, - said the Queen, patting her on the head, whichAlice didn't like at all, - though, when you say "garden," - I'VE seengardens, compare with which this would be a wilderness. Alice didn't dare to argue the point, but went on: - and I thought I'd try and find my way to the top of that hill - When you say "hill," - the Queen interrupted, - _I_ could show youhills, in comparison with which you'd call that a valley. - No, I shouldn't, - said Alice, surprised into contradicting her atlast: - a hill CAN'T be a valley, you know. That would be nonsense The Red Queen shook her head, - You may call it "nonsense" if you like, - she said, - but I'VE heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary! Alice curtseyed again, as she was afraid from the Queen's tone that she was a LITTLE offended: and they walked on in silence till they got to the top of the little hill. For some minutes Alice stood without speaking, looking out in all directions over the country - and a most curious country it was. There were a number of tiny little brooks running straight across it from side to side, and the ground between was divided up into squares by a number of little green hedges, that reached from brook to brook. - I declare it's marked out just like a large chessboard! - Alicesaid at last. - There ought to be some men moving about somewhere and sothere are! - She added in a tone of delight, and her heart began to beatquick with excitement as she went on. - It's a great huge game of chessthat's being played - all over the world - if this IS the world at all,you know. Oh, what fun it is! How I WISH I was one of them! I wouldn'tmind being a Pawn, if only I might join - though of course I should LIKEto be a Queen, best. She glanced rather shyly at the real Queen as she said this, but her companion only smiled pleasantly, and said, - That's easily managed. You can be the White Queen's Pawn, if you like, as Lily's too young to play; and you're in the Second Square to began with: when you get to the Eighth Square you'll be a Queen - Just at this moment, somehow or other, they began to run. Alice never could quite make out, in thinking it over afterwards, how it was that they began: all she remembers is, that they were running hand in hand, and the Queen went so fast that it was all she could do to keep up with her: and still the Queen kept crying - Faster! Faster! - but Alice felt she COULD NOT go faster, thought she had not breath left to say so. The most curious part of the thing was, that the trees and the other things round them never changed their places at all: however fast they went, they never seemed to pass anything. - I wonder if all the things move along with us? - thought poor puzzled Alice. And the Queen seemed to guess her thoughts, for she cried, - Faster! Don't try to talk! Not that Alice had any idea of doing THAT. She felt as if she would never be able to talk again, she was getting so much out of breath: and still the Queen cried - Faster! Faster! - and dragged her along. - Are we nearly there? - Alice managed to pant out at last. - Nearly there! - the Queen repeated. - Why, we passed it ten minutesago! Faster! And they ran on for a time in silence, with the windwhistling in Alice's ears, and almost blowing her hair off her head, shefancied. - Now! Now! - cried the Queen. - Faster! Faster! - And they went sofast that at last they seemed to skim through the air, hardly touching theground with their feet, till suddenly, just as Alice was getting quiteexhausted, they stopped, and she found herself sitting on the ground,breathless and giddy. The Queen propped her up against a tree, and said kindly, - You may rest a little now. Alice looked round her in great surprise. - Why, I do believe we've been under this tree the whole time! Everything's just as it was! - Of course it is, - said the Queen, - what would you have it? - Well, in OUR country, - said Alice, still panting a little, - you'dgenerally get to somewhere else - if you ran very fast for a long time, aswe've been doing. - A slow sort of country! - said the Queen. - Now, HERE, you see, ittakes all the running YOU can do, to keep in the same place. If you wantto get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that! - I'd rather not try, please! - said Alice. - I'm quite content tostay here - only I AM so hot and thirsty! - I know what YOU'D like! - the Queen said good-naturedly, taking alittle box out of her pocket. - Have a biscuit? Alice thought it would not be civil to say - No, - though it wasn't at all what she wanted. So she took it, and ate it as well as she could: and it was VERY dry; and she thought she had never been so nearly choked in all her life. - While you're refreshing yourself, - said the Queen, - I'll justtake the measurements. - And she took a ribbon out of her pocket, markedin inches, and began measuring the ground, and sticking little pegs inhere and there. - At the end of two yards, - she said, putting in a peg to mark thedistance, - I shall give you your directions - have another biscuit? - No, thank you, - said Alice,:** - one's QUITE enough! - Thirst quenched, I hope? - said the Queen. Alice did not know whatto say to this, but luckily the Queen did notwait for an answer, but went on. - At the end of THREE yards I shall repeat them - for fear of your forgetting them. At then end of FOUR, I shall say good-bye. And at then end of FIVE, I shall go! She had got all the pegs put in by this time, and Alice looked on with great interest as she returned to the tree, and then began slowly walking down the row. At the two-yard peg she faced round, and said, - A pawn goes two squares in its first move, you know. So you'll go VERY quickly through the Third Square - by railway, I should think - and you'll find yourself in the Fourth Square in no time. Well, THAT square belongs to Tweedledum and Tweedledee - the Fifth is mostly water the Sixth belongs to Humpty Dumpty - But you make no remark? - I - I didn't know I had to make one - just then, - Alice falteredout. - You SHOULD have said, - "It's extremely kind of you to tell me allthis" - however, we'll suppose it said - the Seventh Square is all forest- however, one of the Knights will show you the way - and in the EighthSquare we shall be Queens together, and it's all feasting and fun! - Alicegot up and curtseyed, and sat down again. At the next peg the Queen turned again, and this time she said, - Speak in French when you can't think of the English for a thing turn out your toes as you walk - and remember who you are! - She did not wait for Alice to curtsey this time, but walked on quickly to the next peg, where she turned for a moment to say - good-bye, - and then hurried on to the last. How it happened, Alice never knew, but exactly as she came to the last peg, she was gone. Whether she vanished into the air, or whether she ran quickly into the wood ( - and she CAN run very fast! - thought Alice), there was no way of guessing, but she was gone, and Alice began to remember that she was a Pawn, and that it would soon be time for her to move. ^ CHAPTER III Looking-Glass Insects Of course the first thing to do was to make a grand survey of the country she was going to travel through. - It's something very like learning geography, - thought Alice, as she stood on tiptoe in hopes of being able to see a little further. - Principal rivers - there ARE none. Principal mountains - I'm on the only one, but I don't think it's got any name. Principal towns - why, what ARE those creatures, making honey down there? They can't be bees - nobody ever saw bees a mile off, you know - and for some time she stood silent, watching one of them that was bustling about among the flowers, poking its proboscis into them, - just as if it was a regular bee, - thought Alice. However, this was anything but a regular bee: in fact it was an elephant - as Alice soon found out, though the idea quite took her breath away at first. - And what enormous flowers they must be! - was her next idea. - Something like cottages with the roofs taken off, and stalks put to them - and what quantities of honey they must make! I think I'll go down and - no, I won't JUST yet, - she went on, checking herself just as she was beginning to run down the hill, and trying to find some excuse for turning shy so suddenly. - It'll never do to go down among them without a good long branch to brush them away - and what fun it'll be when they ask me how I like my walk. I shall say -"Oh, I like it well enough - " - (here came the favourite little toss of the head), - "only it was so dusty and hot, and the elephants did tease so!" - I think I'll go down the other way, - she said after a pause: - andperhaps I may visit the elephants later on. Besides, I do so want to getinto the Third Square! So with this excuse she ran down the hill and jumped over the first of the six little brooks. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - Tickets, please! - said the Guard, putting his head in at thewindow. In a moment everybody was holding out a ticket: they were aboutthe same size as the people, and quite seemed to fill the carriage. - Now then! Show your ticket, child! - the Guard went on, lookingangrily at Alice. And a great many voices all said together ( - like thechorus of a song, - thought Alice), - Don't keep him waiting, child! Why,his time is worth a thousand pounds a minute! - I'm afraid I haven't got one, - Alice said in a frightened tone: -there wasn't a ticket-office where I came from." And again the chorus ofvoices went on. - There wasn't room for one where she came from. The landthere is worth a thousand pounds an inch! - Don't make excuses, - said the Guard: - you should have bought onefrom the engine-driver. - And once more the chorus of voices went on with- The man that drives the engine. Why, the smoke alone is worth a thousandpounds a puff! Alice thought to herself, - Then there's no use in speaking." The voices didn't join in this time, as she hadn't spoken, but to her great surprise, they all THOUGHT in chorus (I hope you understand what THINKING IN CHORUS means - for I must confess that _I_ don't), - Better say nothing at all. Language is worth a thousand pounds a word! - I shall dream about a thousand pounds tonight, I know I shall!thought Alice. All this time the Guard was looking at her, first through a telescope, then through a microscope, and then through an operaglass. At last he said, - You're travelling the wrong way, - and shut up the window and went away. - So young a child, - said the gentleman sitting opposite to her (hewas dressed in white paper), - ought to know which way she's going, evenif she doesn't know her own name! A Goat, that was sitting next to the gentleman in white, shut his eyes and said in a loud voice, - She ought to know her way to the ticket-office, even if she doesn't know her alphabet! There was a Beetle sitting next to the Goat (it was a very queer carriage-full of passengers altogether), and, as the rule seemed to be that they should all speak in turn, HE went on with - She'll have to go back from here as luggage! Alice couldn't see who was sitting beyond the Beetle, but a hoarse voice spoke next. - Change engines - it said, and was obliged to leave off. - It sounds like a horse, - Alice thought to herself. And anextremely small voice, close to her ear, said, - You might make a joke onthat - something about "horse" and "hoarse," you know. Then a very gentle voice in the distance said, - She must be labelled "Lass, with care," you know And after that other voices went on (What a number of people there are in the carriage! - thought Alice), saying, - She must go by post, as she's got a head on her - She must be sent as a message by the telegraph - She must draw the train herself the rest of the way - and so on. But the gentleman dressed in white paper leaned forwards and whispered in her ear, - Never mind what they all say, my dear, but take a return-ticket every time the train stops." - Indeed I shan't! - Alice said rather impatiently. - I don't belongto this railway journey at all - I was in a wood just now - and I wish Icould get back there. - You might make a joke on THAT, said the little voice close to herear: - something about "you WOULD if you could," you know. - Don't tease so, - said Alice, looking about in vain to see wherethe voice came from; - if you're so anxious to have a joke made, why don'tyou make one yourself? The little voice sighed deeply: it was VERY unhappy, evidently, and Alice would have said something pitying to comfort it, - If it would only sigh like other people! - she thought. But this was such a wonderfully small sigh, that she wouldn't have heard it at all, if it hadn't come QUITE close to her ear. The consequence of this was that it tickled her ear very much, and quite took off her thoughts from the unhappiness of the poor little creature. - I know you are a friend, the little voice went on; - a dear friend,and an old friend. And you won't hurt me, though I AM an insect. - What kind of insect? - Alice inquired a little anxiously. What shereally wanted to know was, whether it could sting or not, but she thoughtthis wouldn't be quite a civil question to ask. - What, then you don't - the little voice began, when it was drownedby a shrill scream from the engine, and everybody jumped up in alarm,Alice among the rest. The Horse, who had put his head out of the window, quietly drew it in and said, - It's only a brook we have to jump over. - Everybody seemed satisfied with this, though Alice felt a little nervous at the idea of trains jumped at all. - However, it'll take us into the Fourth Square, that's some comfort! - she said to herself. In another moment she felt the carriage rise straight up into the air, and in her fright she caught at the thing nearest to her hand. which happened to be the Goat's beard. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * But the beard seemed to melt away as she touched it, and she found herself sitting quietly under a tree - while the Gnat (for that was the insect she had been talking to) was balancing itself on a twig just over her head, and fanning her with its wings. It certainly was a VERY large Gnat: - about the size of a chicken, Alice thought. Still, she couldn't feel nervous with it, after they had been talking together so long. - then you don't like all insects? - the Gnat went on, as quietly asif nothing had happened. - I like them when they can talk, - Alice said. - None of them evertalk, where _I_ come from. - What sort of insects do you rejoice in, where YOU come from? - theGnat inquired. - I don't REJOICE in insects at all, - Alice explained, - because I'mrather afraid of them - at least the large kinds. But I can tell you thenames of some of them." - Of course they answer to their names? - the Gnat remarkedcarelessly. - I never knew them do it. - What's the use of their having names the Gnat said, - if they won'tanswer to them? - No use to THEM, - said Alice; - but it's useful to the people whoname them, I suppose. If not, why do things have names at all? - I can't say, - the Gnat replied. - Further on, in the wood downthere, they've got no names - however, go on with your list of insects:you're wasting time. - Well, there's the Horse-fly, - Alice began, counting off the nameson her fingers. - All right, - said the Gnat: - half way up that bush, you'll see aRocking-horse-fly, if you look. It's made entirely of wood, and gets aboutby swinging itself from branch to branch. - What does it live on? - Alice asked, with great curiosity. - Sap and sawdust, - said the Gnat. - Go on with the list. Alicelooked up at the Rocking-horse-fly with great interest, andmade up her mind that it must have been just repainted, it looked so bright and sticky; and then she went on. - And there's the Dragon-fly. - Look on the branch above your head, - said the Gnat, - and thereyou'll find a snap-dragon-fly. Its body is made of plum-pudding, its wingsof holly-leaves, and its head is a raisin burning in brandy. - And what does it live on? - Frumenty and mince pie, - the Gnat replied; - and it makes is nestin a Christmas box. - And then there's the Butterfly, - Alice went on, after she hadtaken a good look at the insect with its head on fire, and had thought toherself, - I wonder if that's the reason insects are so fond of flyinginto candles - because they want to turn into Snap-dragon-flies! - Crawling at your feet, - said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back insome alarm), - you may observe a Bread-and-Butterfly. Its wings are thinslices of Bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump ofsugar. - And what does IT live on? - Weak tea with cream in it. A new difficulty came into Alice's head.- Supposing it couldn't findany? - she suggested. - Then it would die, of course. - But that must happen very often, - Alice remarked thoughtfully. - It always happens, - said the Gnat. After this, Alice was silentfor a minute or two, pondering. The Gnatamused itself meanwhile by humming round and round her head: at last it settled again and remarked, - I suppose you don't want to lose your name? - No, indeed, - Alice said, a little anxiously. - And yet I don't know, - the Gnat went on in a careless tone: - onlythink how convenient it would be if you could manage to go home withoutit! For instance, if the governess wanted to call you to your lessons, shewould call out "come here - ," and there she would have to leave off,because there wouldn't be any name for her to all, and of course youwouldn't have to go, you know. - That would never do, I'm sure, - said Alice: - the governess wouldnever think of excusing me lessons for that. If she couldn't remember myname, she'd call me "Miss!" as the servants do. - Well. if she said "Miss," and didn't say anything more, - the Gnatremarked, - of course you'd miss your lessons. That's a joke. I wish YOUhad made it. - Why do you wish _I_ had made it? - Alice asked. - It's a very badone. But the Gnat only sighed deeply, while two large tears came rolling down its cheeks. - You shouldn't make jokes, - Alice said, - if it makes you sounhappy. Then came another of those melancholy little sighs, and this time the poor Gnat really seemed to have sighed itself away, for, when Alice looked up, there was nothing whatever to be seen on the twig, and, as she was getting quite chilly with sitting still so, long she got up and walked on. She very soon came to an open field, with a wood on the other side of it: it looked much darker than the last wood, and Alice felt a LITTLE timid about going into it. However, on second thoughts, she made up her mind to go on: - for I certainly won't go BACK, - she thought to herself, and this was the only way to the Eighth Square. - This must be the wood, she said thoughtfully to herself, - wherethings have no names. I wonder what'll become of MY name when I go in? Ishouldn't like to lose it at all - because they'd have to give me another,and it would be almost certain to be an ugly one. But then the fun wouldbe, trying to find the creature that had got my old name! That's just likethe advertisements, you know, when people lose dogs - "ANSWERS TO THE NAMEOF - DASH: - HAD ON A BRASS COLLAR" - just fancy calling everything youmet "Alice," till one of them answered! Only they wouldn't answer at all,if they were wise. She was rambling on in this way when she reached the wood: it looked very cool and shady. - Well, at any rate it's a great comfort, she said as she stepped under the trees, - after being so hot, to get into the - into WHAT? - she went on, rather surprised at not being able to think of the word. - I mean to get under the - under the under THIS, you know! - putting her hand on the trunk of the tree. - What DOES it call itself, I wonder? I do believe it's got no name why, to be sure it hasn't! She stood silent for a minute, thinking: then she suddenly began again. - Then it really HAS happened, after all! And how, who am I? I WILL remember, if I can! I'm determined to do it! - But being determined didn't help much, and all she could say, after a great deal of puzzling, was, - L, I KNOW it begins with L! Just then a Fawn came wandering by: it looked at Alice with its large gentle eyes, but didn't seem at all frightened. - Here then! Here then! - Alice said, as he held out her hand and tried to stroke it; but it only started back a little, and then stood looking at her again. - What do you call yourself? - the Fawn said at last. Such a softsweet voice it had! - I wish I knew! - thought poor Alice. She answered, rather sadly, -Nothing, just now. - Think again, - it said: - that won't do. Alice thought, but nothingcame of it. - Please, would you tell mewhat YOU call yourself? - she said timidly. - I think that might help a little. - I'll tell you, of you'll move a little further on, - the Fawn said.- I can't remember here. So they walked on together though the wood, Alice with her arms clasped lovingly round the soft neck of the Fawn, till they came out into another open field, and here the Fawn gave a sudden bound into the air, and shook itself free from Alice's arms. - I'm a Fawn! - it cried out in a voice of delight, - and, dear me! you're a human child! - A sudden look of alarm came into its beautiful brown eyes, and in another moment it had darted away a full speed. Alice stood looking after it, almost ready to cry with vexation at having lost her dear little fellow-traveller so suddenly. - However, I know my name now. - she said, - that's SOME comfort. Alice - Alice I won't forget it again. And now, which of these finger-posts ought I to follow, I wonder? It was not a very difficult question to answer, as there was only one road through the wood, and the two finger-posts both pointed along it. - I'll settle it, - Alice said to herself, - when the road divides and they point different ways. But this did not seem likely to happen. She went on and on, a long way, but wherever the road divided there were sure to be two finger-posts pointing the same way, one marked - TO TWEEDLEDUM'S HOUSE - and the other - TO THE HOUSE OF TWEEDLEDEE. - I do believe, - said Alice at last, - that they live in the samehouse! I wonder I never thought of that before - But I can't stay therelong. I'll just call and say "how d'you do?" and ask them the way out ofthe wood. If I could only get the Eighth Square before it gets dark! - Soshe wandered on, talking to herself as she went, till, on turning a sharpcorner, she came upon two fat little men, so suddenly that she could nothelp starting back, but in another moment she recovered herself, feelingsure that they must be^ CHAPTER IV TWEEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEE They were standing under a tree, each with an arm round the other's neck, and Alice knew which was which in a moment, because one of them had - DUM - embroidered on his collar, and the other - DEE. - I suppose they've each got "TWEEDLE" round at the back of the collar, - she said to herself. They stood so still that she quite forgot they were alive, and she was just looking round to see if the word "TWEEDLE" was written at the back of each collar, when she was startled by a voice coming from the one marked - DUM. - If you think we're wax-works, - he said, - you ought to pay, youknow. Wax-works weren't made to be looked at for nothing, Nohow! - Contrariwise, - added the one marked - DEE, - if you think we'realive, you ought to speak. - I'm sure I'm very sorry, - was all Alice could say; for the wordsof the old song kept ringing through her head like the ticking of a clock,and she could hardly help saying them out loud:- Tweedledum and Tweedledee Agreed to have a battle; For Tweedledum said Tweedledee Had spoiled his nice new rattle. Just then flew down a monstrous crow, As black as a tar-barrel; Which frightened both the heroes so, They quite forgot their quarrel. - I know what you're thinking about, - said Tweedledum: - but itisn't so, nohow. - Contrariwise, - continued Tweedledee, - if it was so, it might be;and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic. - I was thinking, - Alice said very politely, - which is the best wayout of this wood: it's getting so dark. Would you tell me, please? But the little men only looked at each other and grinned. They looked so exactly like a couple of great schoolboys, that Alice couldn't help pointing her finger at Tweedledum, and saying - First Boy! - Nohow! - Tweedledum cried out briskly, and shut his mouth up againwith a snap. - Next Boy! - said Alice, passing on to Tweedledee, though she feltquite certain he would only shout out "Contrariwise! - and so he did. - You've been wrong! - cried Tweedledum. - The first thing in a visitis to say "How d'ye do?" and shake hands! - And here the two brothers gaveeach other a hug, and then they held out the two hands that were free, toshake hands with her. Alice did not like shaking hands with either of them first, for fear of hurting the other one's feelings; so, as the best way out of the difficulty, she took hold of both hands at once: the next moment they were dancing found in a ring. This seemed quite natural (she remembered afterwards), and she was not even surprised to hear music playing: it seemed to come from the tree under which they were dancing, and it was done (as well as she could make it out) by the branches rubbing one across the other, like fiddles and fiddle-sticks. - But it certainly WAS funny, - (Alice said afterwards, when she wastelling her sister the history of all this,) - to find myself singing"HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH." I don't know when I began it, butsomehow I felt as if I'd been singing it a long long time! The other two dancers were fat, and very soon out of breath. - Four times round is enough for one dance, - Tweedledum panted out, and they left off dancing as suddenly as they had begun: the music stopped at the same moment. Then they let go of Alice's hands, and stood looking at her for a minute: there was a rather awkward pause, as Alice didn't know how to begin a conversation with people she had just been dancing with. - It would never do to say "How d'ye do?" NOW, - she said to herself: - we seem to have got beyond that, somehow! - I hope you're not much tired? - she said at last. - Nohow. And thank you VERY much for asking, - said Tweedledum. - So much obliged! - added Tweedledee. - You like poetry? - Ye-es. pretty well - SOME poetry, - Alice said doubtfully. - Wouldyou tell me which road leads out of the wood? - What shall I repeat to her? - said Tweedledee, looking round atTweedledum with great solemn eyes, and not noticing Alice's question. - "THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER" is the longest, - Tweedledumreplied, giving his brother an affectionate hug. Tweedledee began instantly: - The sun was shining Here Alice ventured to interrupt him. - If it's VERY long, - she said, as politely as she could, - would you please tell me first which road Tweedledee smiled gently, and began again: - The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright And this was odd, because it was The middle of the night. The moon was shining sulkily, Because she thought the sun Had got no business to be there After the day was done "It's very rude of him," she said, "To come and spoil the fun!" The sea was wet as wet could be, The sands were dry as dry. You could not see a cloud, because No cloud was in the sky: No birds were flying over head There were no birds to fly. The Walrus and the Carpenter Were walking close at hand; They wept like anything to see Such quantities of sand: "If this were only cleared away," They said, "it WOULD be grand!" "If seven maids with seven mops Swept it for half a year, Do you suppose," the Walrus said, "That they could get it clear?" "I doubt it," said the Carpenter, And shed a bitter tear. "O Oysters, come and walk with us!" The Walrus did beseech. "A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach: We cannot do with more than four, To give a hand to each." The eldest Oyster looked at him. But never a word he said: The eldest Oyster winked his eye, And shook his heavy head Meaning to say he did not choose To leave the oyster-bed. But four young oysters hurried up, All eager for the treat: Their coats were brushed, their faces washed, Their shoes were clean and neat And this was odd, because, you know, They hadn't any feet. Four other Oysters followed them, And yet another four; And thick and fast they came at last, And more, and more, and more All hopping through the frothy waves, And scrambling