+ Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister +on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had +peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no +pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,' +thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?' + + So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, +for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether +the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble +of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White +Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. + + There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice +think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to +itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!' (when she thought +it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have +wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); +but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT- +POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to +her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never +before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to +take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the +field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop +down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge. + + In another moment down went Alice after it, never once +considering how in the world she was to get out again. + + The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, +and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a +moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself +falling down a very deep well. + + Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she +had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to +wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look +down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to +see anything; then she looked at the sides of the well, and +noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves; +here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She +took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was +labelled `ORANGE MARMALADE', but to her great disappointment it +was empty: she did not like to drop the jar for fear of killing +somebody, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she +fell past it. + + `Well!' thought Alice to herself, `after such a fall as this, I +shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they'll +all think me at home! Why, I wouldn't say anything about it, +even if I fell off the top of the house!' (Which was very likely +true.) + + Down, down, down. Would the fall NEVER come to an end! `I +wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time?' she said aloud. +`I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let +me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think--' (for, +you see, Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her +lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a VERY good +opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to +listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over) `--yes, +that's about the right distance--but then I wonder what Latitude +or Longitude I've got to?' (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, +or Longitude either, but thought they were nice grand words to +say.) + + Presently she began again. `I wonder if I shall fall right +THROUGH the earth! How funny it'll seem to come out among the +people that walk with their heads downward! The Antipathies, I +think--' (she was rather glad there WAS no one listening, this +time, as it didn't sound at all the right word) `--but I shall +have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. +Please, Ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia?' (and she tried +to curtsey as she spoke--fancy CURTSEYING as you're falling +through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) `And what +an ignorant little girl she'll think me for asking! No, it'll +never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.' + + Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so Alice soon +began talking again. `Dinah'll miss me very much to-night, I +should think!' (Dinah was the cat.) `I hope they'll remember +her saucer of milk at tea-time. Dinah my dear! I wish you were +down here with me! There are no mice in the air, I'm afraid, but +you might catch a bat, and that's very like a mouse, you know. +But do cats eat bats, I wonder?' And here Alice began to get +rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy sort of +way, `Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?' and sometimes, `Do +bats eat cats?' for, you see, as she couldn't answer either +question, it didn't much matter which way she put it. She felt +that she was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that she +was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and saying to her very +earnestly, `Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a +bat?' when suddenly, thump! thump! down she came upon a heap of +sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over. + + Alice was not a bit hurt, and she jumped up on to her feet in a +moment: she looked up, but it was all dark overhead; before her +was another long passage, and the White Rabbit was still in +sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: +away went Alice like the wind, and was just in time to hear it +say, as it turned a corner, `Oh my ears and whiskers, how late +it's getting!' She was close behind it when she turned the +corner, but the Rabbit was no longer to be seen: she found +herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps +hanging from the roof. + + There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; +and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the +other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, +wondering how she was ever to get out again. + + Suddenly she came upon a little three-legged table, all made of +solid glass; there was nothing on it except a tiny golden key, +and Alice's first thought was that it might belong to one of the +doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or +the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of +them. However, on the second time round, she came upon a low +curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little +door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key +in the lock, and to her great delight it fitted! + + Alice opened the door and found that it led into a small +passage, not much larger than a rat-hole: she knelt down and +looked along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. +How she longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about +among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but +she could not even get her head though the doorway; `and even if +my head would go through,' thought poor Alice, `it would be of +very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish +I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only +know how to begin.' For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things +had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few +things indeed were really impossible. + + There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she +went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on +it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like +telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, (`which +certainly was not here before,' said Alice,) and round the neck +of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME' +beautifully printed on it in large letters. + + It was all very well to say `Drink me,' but the wise little +Alice was not going to do THAT in a hurry. `No, I'll look +first,' she said, `and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; +for she had read several nice little histories about children who +had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant +things, all because they WOULD not remember the simple rules +their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker +will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your +finger VERY deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had +never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked +`poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or +later. + + However, this bottle was NOT marked `poison,' so Alice ventured +to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort +of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast +turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished +it off. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + `What a curious feeling!' said Alice; `I must be shutting up +like a telescope.' + + And so it was indeed: she was now only ten inches high, and +her face brightened up at the thought that she was now the right +size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. +First, however, she waited for a few minutes to see if she was +going to shrink any further: she felt a little nervous about +this; `for it might end, you know,' said Alice to herself, `in my +going out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be +like then?' And she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is +like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember +ever having seen such a thing. + + After a while, finding that nothing more happened, she decided +on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor Alice! +when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the +little golden key, and when she went back to the table for it, +she found she could not possibly reach it: she could see it +quite plainly through the glass, and she tried her best to climb +up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery; +and when she had tired herself out with trying, +the poor little thing sat down and cried. + + `Come, there's no use in crying like that!' said Alice to +herself, rather sharply; `I advise you to leave off this minute!' +She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very +seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so +severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered +trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game +of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious +child was very fond of pretending to be two people. `But it's no +use now,' thought poor Alice, `to pretend to be two people! Why, +there's hardly enough of me left to make ONE respectable +person!' + + Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under +the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on +which the words `EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants. +`Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, `and if it makes me grow larger, +I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep +under the door; so either way I'll get into the garden, and I +don't care which happens!' + + She ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself, `Which +way? Which way?', holding her hand on the top of her head to +feel which way it was growing, and she was quite surprised to +find that she remained the same size: to be sure, this generally +happens when one eats cake, but Alice had got so much into the +way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, +that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the +common way. + + So she set to work, and very soon finished off the cake. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + + + + CHAPTER II + + The Pool of Tears + + + `Curiouser and curiouser!' cried Alice (she was so much +surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good +English); `now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that +ever was! Good-bye, feet!' (for when she looked down at her +feet, they seemed to be almost out of sight, they were getting so +far off). `Oh, my poor little feet, I wonder who will put on +your shoes and stockings for you now, dears? I'm sure _I_ shan't +be able! I shall be a great deal too far off to trouble myself +about you: you must manage the best way you can; --but I must be +kind to them,' thought Alice, `or perhaps they won't walk the +way I want to go! Let me see: I'll give them a new pair of +boots every Christmas.' + + And she went on planning to herself how she would manage it. +`They must go by the carrier,' she thought; `and how funny it'll +seem, sending presents to one's own feet! And how odd the +directions will look! + + ALICE'S RIGHT FOOT, ESQ. + HEARTHRUG, + NEAR THE FENDER, + (WITH ALICE'S LOVE). + +Oh dear, what nonsense I'm talking!' + + Just then her head struck against the roof of the hall: in +fact she was now more than nine feet high, and she at once took +up the little golden key and hurried off to the garden door. + + Poor Alice! It was as much as she could do, lying down on one +side, to look through into the garden with one eye; but to get +through was more hopeless than ever: she sat down and began to +cry again. + + `You ought to be ashamed of yourself,' said Alice, `a great +girl like you,' (she might well say this), `to go on crying in +this way! Stop this moment, I tell you!' But she went on all +the same, shedding gallons of tears, until there was a large pool +all round her, about four inches deep and reaching half down the +hall. + + After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the +distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming. +It was the White Rabbit returning, splendidly dressed, with a +pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a large fan in the +other: he came trotting along in a great hurry, muttering to +himself as he came, `Oh! the Duchess, the Duchess! Oh! won't she +be savage if I've kept her waiting!' Alice felt so desperate +that she was ready to ask help of any one; so, when the Rabbit +came near her, she began, in a low, timid voice, `If you please, +sir--' The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid +gloves and the fan, and skurried away into the darkness as hard +as he could go. + + Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very +hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking: +`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday +things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in +the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this +morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little +different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in +the world am I? Ah, THAT'S the great puzzle!' And she began +thinking over all the children she knew that were of the same age +as herself, to see if she could have been changed for any of +them. + + `I'm sure I'm not Ada,' she said, `for her hair goes in such +long ringlets, and mine doesn't go in ringlets at all; and I'm +sure I can't be Mabel, for I know all sorts of things, and she, +oh! she knows such a very little! Besides, SHE'S she, and I'm I, +and--oh dear, how puzzling it all is! I'll try if I know all the +things I used to know. Let me see: four times five is twelve, +and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is--oh dear! +I shall never get to twenty at that rate! However, the +Multiplication Table doesn't signify: let's try Geography. +London is the capital of Paris, and Paris is the capital of Rome, +and Rome--no, THAT'S all wrong, I'm certain! I must have been +changed for Mabel! I'll try and say "How doth the little--"' +and she crossed her hands on her lap as if she were saying lessons, +and began to repeat it, but her voice sounded hoarse and +strange, and the words did not come the same as they used to do:-- + + `How doth the little crocodile + Improve his shining tail, + And pour the waters of the Nile + On every golden scale! + + `How cheerfully he seems to grin, + How neatly spread his claws, + And welcome little fishes in + With gently smiling jaws!' + + `I'm sure those are not the right words,' said poor Alice, and +her eyes filled with tears again as she went on, `I must be Mabel +after all, and I shall have to go and live in that poky little +house, and have next to no toys to play with, and oh! ever so +many lessons to learn! No, I've made up my mind about it; if I'm +Mabel, I'll stay down here! It'll be no use their putting their +heads down and saying "Come up again, dear!" I shall only look +up and say "Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if I +like being that person, I'll come up: if not, I'll stay down +here till I'm somebody else"--but, oh dear!' cried Alice, with a +sudden burst of tears, `I do wish they WOULD put their heads +down! I am so VERY tired of being all alone here!' + + As she said this she looked down at her hands, and was +surprised to see that she had put on one of the Rabbit's little +white kid gloves while she was talking. `How CAN I have done +that?' she thought. `I must be growing small again.' She got up +and went to the table to measure herself by it, and found that, +as nearly as she could guess, she was now about two feet high, +and was going on shrinking rapidly: she soon found out that the +cause of this was the fan she was holding, and she dropped it +hastily, just in time to avoid shrinking away altogether. + +`That WAS a narrow escape!' said Alice, a good deal frightened at +the sudden change, but very glad to find herself still in +existence; `and now for the garden!' and she ran with all speed +back to the little door: but, alas! the little door was shut +again, and the little golden key was lying on the glass table as +before, `and things are worse than ever,' thought the poor child, +`for I never was so small as this before, never! And I declare +it's too bad, that it is!' + + As she said these words her foot slipped, and in another +moment, splash! she was up to her chin in salt water. Her first +idea was that she had somehow fallen into the sea, `and in that +case I can go back by railway,' she said to herself. (Alice had +been to the seaside once in her life, and had come to the general +conclusion, that wherever you go to on the English coast you find +a number of bathing machines in the sea, some children digging in +the sand with wooden spades, then a row of lodging houses, and +behind them a railway station.) However, she soon made out that +she was in the pool of tears which she had wept when she was nine +feet high. + + `I wish I hadn't cried so much!' said Alice, as she swam about, +trying to find her way out. `I shall be punished for it now, I +suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That WILL be a queer +thing, to be sure! However, everything is queer to-day.' + + Just then she heard something splashing about in the pool a +little way off, and she swam nearer to make out what it was: at +first she thought it must be a walrus or hippopotamus, but then +she remembered how small she was now, and she soon made out that +it was only a mouse that had slipped in like herself. + + `Would it be of any use, now,' thought Alice, `to speak to this +mouse? Everything is so out-of-the-way down here, that I should +think very likely it can talk: at any rate, there's no harm in +trying.' So she began: `O Mouse, do you know the way out of +this pool? I am very tired of swimming about here, O Mouse!' +(Alice thought this must be the right way of speaking to a mouse: +she had never done such a thing before, but she remembered having +seen in her brother's Latin Grammar, `A mouse--of a mouse--to a +mouse--a mouse--O mouse!' The Mouse looked at her rather +inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little +eyes, but it said nothing. + + `Perhaps it doesn't understand English,' thought Alice; `I +daresay it's a French mouse, come over with William the +Conqueror.' (For, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had +no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened.) So she +began again: `Ou est ma chatte?' which was the first sentence in +her French lesson-book. The Mouse gave a sudden leap out of the +water, and seemed to quiver all over with fright. `Oh, I beg +your pardon!' cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the +poor animal's feelings. `I quite forgot you didn't like cats.' + + `Not like cats!' cried the Mouse, in a shrill, passionate +voice. `Would YOU like cats if you were me?' + + `Well, perhaps not,' said Alice in a soothing tone: `don't be +angry about it. And yet I wish I could show you our cat Dinah: +I think you'd take a fancy to cats if you could only see her. +She is such a dear quiet thing,' Alice went on, half to herself, +as she swam lazily about in the pool, `and she sits purring so +nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face--and +she is such a nice soft thing to nurse--and she's such a capital +one for catching mice--oh, I beg your pardon!' cried Alice again, +for this time the Mouse was bristling all over, and she felt +certain it must be really offended. `We won't talk about her any +more if you'd rather not.' + + `We indeed!' cried the Mouse, who was trembling down to the end +of his tail. `As if I would talk on such a subject! Our family +always HATED cats: nasty, low, vulgar things! Don't let me hear +the name again!' + + `I won't indeed!' said Alice, in a great hurry to change the +subject of conversation. `Are you--are you fond--of--of dogs?' +The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: `There is +such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you! +A little bright-eyed terrier, you know, with oh, such long curly +brown hair! And it'll fetch things when you throw them, and +it'll sit up and beg for its dinner, and all sorts of things--I +can't remember half of them--and it belongs to a farmer, you +know, and he says it's so useful, it's worth a hundred pounds! +He says it kills all the rats and--oh dear!' cried Alice in a +sorrowful tone, `I'm afraid I've offended it again!' For the +Mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go, and +making quite a commotion in the pool as it went. + + So she called softly after it, `Mouse dear! Do come back +again, and we won't talk about cats or dogs either, if you don't +like them!' When the Mouse heard this, it turned round and swam +slowly back to her: its face was quite pale (with passion, Alice +thought), and it said in a low trembling voice, `Let us get to +the shore, and then I'll tell you my history, and you'll +understand why it is I hate cats and dogs.' + + It was high time to go, for the pool was getting quite crowded +with the birds and animals that had fallen into it: there were a +Duck and a Dodo, a Lory and an Eaglet, and several other curious +creatures. Alice led the way, and the whole party swam to the +shore. + + + + CHAPTER III + + A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale + + + They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the +bank--the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their +fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and +uncomfortable. + + The first question of course was, how to get dry again: they +had a consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed +quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with +them, as if she had known them all her life. Indeed, she had +quite a long argument with the Lory, who at last turned sulky, +and would only say, `I am older than you, and must know better'; +and this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was, +and, as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no +more to be said. + + At last the Mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority among +them, called out, `Sit down, all of you, and listen to me! I'LL +soon make you dry enough!' They all sat down at once, in a large +ring, with the Mouse in the middle. Alice kept her eyes +anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad +cold if she did not get dry very soon. + + `Ahem!' said the Mouse with an important air, `are you all ready? +This is the driest thing I know. Silence all round, if you please! +"William the Conqueror, whose cause was favoured by the pope, was +soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, and had been +of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest. Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria--"' + + `Ugh!' said the Lory, with a shiver. + + `I beg your pardon!' said the Mouse, frowning, but very +politely: `Did you speak?' + + `Not I!' said the Lory hastily. + + `I thought you did,' said the Mouse. `--I proceed. "Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria, declared for him: +and even Stigand, the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury, found +it advisable--"' + + `Found WHAT?' said the Duck. + + `Found IT,' the Mouse replied rather crossly: `of course you +know what "it" means.' + + `I know what "it" means well enough, when I find a thing,' said +the Duck: `it's generally a frog or a worm. The question is, +what did the archbishop find?' + + The Mouse did not notice this question, but hurriedly went on, +`"--found it advisable to go with Edgar Atheling to meet William +and offer him the crown. William's conduct at first was +moderate. But the insolence of his Normans--" How are you +getting on now, my dear?' it continued, turning to Alice as it +spoke. + + `As wet as ever,' said Alice in a melancholy tone: `it doesn't +seem to dry me at all.' + + `In that case,' said the Dodo solemnly, rising to its feet, `I +move that the meeting adjourn, for the immediate adoption of more +energetic remedies--' + + `Speak English!' said the Eaglet. `I don't know the meaning of +half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do +either!' And the Eaglet bent down its head to hide a smile: +some of the other birds tittered audibly. + + `What I was going to say,' said the Dodo in an offended tone, +`was, that the best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race.' + + `What IS a Caucus-race?' said Alice; not that she wanted much +to know, but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that SOMEBODY +ought to speak, and no one else seemed inclined to say anything. + + `Why,' said the Dodo, `the best way to explain it is to do it.' +(And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter +day, I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.) + + First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (`the +exact shape doesn't matter,' it said,) and then all the party +were placed along the course, here and there. There was no `One, +two, three, and away,' but they began running when they liked, +and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know +when the race was over. However, when they had been running half +an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called +out `The race is over!' and they all crowded round it, panting, +and asking, `But who has won?' + + This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of +thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon +its forehead (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, +in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At +last the Dodo said, `EVERYBODY has won, and all must have +prizes.' + + `But who is to give the prizes?' quite a chorus of voices +asked. + + `Why, SHE, of course,' said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with +one finger; and the whole party at once crowded round her, +calling out in a confused way, `Prizes! Prizes!' + + Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair she put her hand +in her pocket, and pulled out a box of comfits, (luckily the salt +water had not got into it), and handed them round as prizes. +There was exactly one a-piece all round. + + `But she must have a prize herself, you know,' said the Mouse. + + `Of course,' the Dodo replied very gravely. `What else have +you got in your pocket?' he went on, turning to Alice. + + `Only a thimble,' said Alice sadly. + + `Hand it over here,' said the Dodo. + + Then they all crowded round her once more, while the Dodo +solemnly presented the thimble, saying `We beg your acceptance of +this elegant thimble'; and, when it had finished this short +speech, they all cheered. + + Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked +so grave that she did not dare to laugh; and, as she could not +think of anything to say, she simply bowed, and took the thimble, +looking as solemn as she could. + + The next thing was to eat the comfits: this caused some noise +and confusion, as the large birds complained that they could not +taste theirs, and the small ones choked and had to be patted on +the back. However, it was over at last, and they sat down again +in a ring, and begged the Mouse to tell them something more. + + `You promised to tell me your history, you know,' said Alice, +`and why it is you hate--C and D,' she added in a whisper, half +afraid that it would be offended again. + + `Mine is a long and a sad tale!' said the Mouse, turning to +Alice, and sighing. + + `It IS a long tail, certainly,' said Alice, looking down with +wonder at the Mouse's tail; `but why do you call it sad?' And +she kept on puzzling about it while the Mouse was speaking, so +that her idea of the tale was something like this:-- + + `Fury said to a + mouse, That he + met in the + house, + "Let us + both go to + law: I will + prosecute + YOU. --Come, + I'll take no + denial; We + must have a + trial: For + really this + morning I've + nothing + to do." + Said the + mouse to the + cur, "Such + a trial, + dear Sir, + With + no jury + or judge, + would be + wasting + our + breath." + "I'll be + judge, I'll + be jury," + Said + cunning + old Fury: + "I'll + try the + whole + cause, + and + condemn + you + to + death."' + + Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister +on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had +peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no +pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,' +thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?' + + So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, +for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether +the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble +of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White +Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. + + There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice +think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to +itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!' (when she thought +it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have +wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); +but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT- +POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to +her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never +before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to +take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the +field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop +down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge. + + In another moment down went Alice after it, never once +considering how in the world she was to get out again. + + The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, +and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a +moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself +falling down a very deep well. + + Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she +had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to +wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look +down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to +see anything; then she looked at the sides of the well, and +noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves; +here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She +took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was +labelled `ORANGE MARMALADE', but to her great disappointment it +was empty: she did not like to drop the jar for fear of killing +somebody, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she +fell past it. + + `Well!' thought Alice to herself, `after such a fall as this, I +shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they'll +all think me at home! Why, I wouldn't say anything about it, +even if I fell off the top of the house!' (Which was very likely +true.) + + Down, down, down. Would the fall NEVER come to an end! `I +wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time?' she said aloud. +`I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let +me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think--' (for, +you see, Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her +lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a VERY good +opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to +listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over) `--yes, +that's about the right distance--but then I wonder what Latitude +or Longitude I've got to?' (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, +or Longitude either, but thought they were nice grand words to +say.) + + Presently she began again. `I wonder if I shall fall right +THROUGH the earth! How funny it'll seem to come out among the +people that walk with their heads downward! The Antipathies, I +think--' (she was rather glad there WAS no one listening, this +time, as it didn't sound at all the right word) `--but I shall +have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. +Please, Ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia?' (and she tried +to curtsey as she spoke--fancy CURTSEYING as you're falling +through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) `And what +an ignorant little girl she'll think me for asking! No, it'll +never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.' + + Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so Alice soon +began talking again. `Dinah'll miss me very much to-night, I +should think!' (Dinah was the cat.) `I hope they'll remember +her saucer of milk at tea-time. Dinah my dear! I wish you were +down here with me! There are no mice in the air, I'm afraid, but +you might catch a bat, and that's very like a mouse, you know. +But do cats eat bats, I wonder?' And here Alice began to get +rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy sort of +way, `Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?' and sometimes, `Do +bats eat cats?' for, you see, as she couldn't answer either +question, it didn't much matter which way she put it. She felt +that she was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that she +was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and saying to her very +earnestly, `Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a +bat?' when suddenly, thump! thump! down she came upon a heap of +sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over. + + Alice was not a bit hurt, and she jumped up on to her feet in a +moment: she looked up, but it was all dark overhead; before her +was another long passage, and the White Rabbit was still in +sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: +away went Alice like the wind, and was just in time to hear it +say, as it turned a corner, `Oh my ears and whiskers, how late +it's getting!' She was close behind it when she turned the +corner, but the Rabbit was no longer to be seen: she found +herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps +hanging from the roof. + + There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; +and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the +other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, +wondering how she was ever to get out again. + + Suddenly she came upon a little three-legged table, all made of +solid glass; there was nothing on it except a tiny golden key, +and Alice's first thought was that it might belong to one of the +doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or +the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of +them. However, on the second time round, she came upon a low +curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little +door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key +in the lock, and to her great delight it fitted! + + Alice opened the door and found that it led into a small +passage, not much larger than a rat-hole: she knelt down and +looked along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. +How she longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about +among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but +she could not even get her head though the doorway; `and even if +my head would go through,' thought poor Alice, `it would be of +very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish +I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only +know how to begin.' For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things +had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few +things indeed were really impossible. + + There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she +went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on +it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like +telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, (`which +certainly was not here before,' said Alice,) and round the neck +of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME' +beautifully printed on it in large letters. + + It was all very well to say `Drink me,' but the wise little +Alice was not going to do THAT in a hurry. `No, I'll look +first,' she said, `and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; +for she had read several nice little histories about children who +had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant +things, all because they WOULD not remember the simple rules +their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker +will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your +finger VERY deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had +never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked +`poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or +later. + + However, this bottle was NOT marked `poison,' so Alice ventured +to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort +of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast +turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished +it off. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + `What a curious feeling!' said Alice; `I must be shutting up +like a telescope.' + + And so it was indeed: she was now only ten inches high, and +her face brightened up at the thought that she was now the right +size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. +First, however, she waited for a few minutes to see if she was +going to shrink any further: she felt a little nervous about +this; `for it might end, you know,' said Alice to herself, `in my +going out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be +like then?' And she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is +like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember +ever having seen such a thing. + + After a while, finding that nothing more happened, she decided +on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor Alice! +when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the +little golden key, and when she went back to the table for it, +she found she could not possibly reach it: she could see it +quite plainly through the glass, and she tried her best to climb +up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery; +and when she had tired herself out with trying, +the poor little thing sat down and cried. + + `Come, there's no use in crying like that!' said Alice to +herself, rather sharply; `I advise you to leave off this minute!' +She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very +seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so +severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered +trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game +of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious +child was very fond of pretending to be two people. `But it's no +use now,' thought poor Alice, `to pretend to be two people! Why, +there's hardly enough of me left to make ONE respectable +person!' + + Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under +the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on +which the words `EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants. +`Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, `and if it makes me grow larger, +I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep +under the door; so either way I'll get into the garden, and I +don't care which happens!' + + She ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself, `Which +way? Which way?', holding her hand on the top of her head to +feel which way it was growing, and she was quite surprised to +find that she remained the same size: to be sure, this generally +happens when one eats cake, but Alice had got so much into the +way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, +that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the +common way. + + So she set to work, and very soon finished off the cake. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + + + + CHAPTER II + + The Pool of Tears + + + `Curiouser and curiouser!' cried Alice (she was so much +surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good +English); `now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that +ever was! Good-bye, feet!' (for when she looked down at her +feet, they seemed to be almost out of sight, they were getting so +far off). `Oh, my poor little feet, I wonder who will put on +your shoes and stockings for you now, dears? I'm sure _I_ shan't +be able! I shall be a great deal too far off to trouble myself +about you: you must manage the best way you can; --but I must be +kind to them,' thought Alice, `or perhaps they won't walk the +way I want to go! Let me see: I'll give them a new pair of +boots every Christmas.' + + And she went on planning to herself how she would manage it. +`They must go by the carrier,' she thought; `and how funny it'll +seem, sending presents to one's own feet! And how odd the +directions will look! + + ALICE'S RIGHT FOOT, ESQ. + HEARTHRUG, + NEAR THE FENDER, + (WITH ALICE'S LOVE). + +Oh dear, what nonsense I'm talking!' + + Just then her head struck against the roof of the hall: in +fact she was now more than nine feet high, and she at once took +up the little golden key and hurried off to the garden door. + + Poor Alice! It was as much as she could do, lying down on one +side, to look through into the garden with one eye; but to get +through was more hopeless than ever: she sat down and began to +cry again. + + `You ought to be ashamed of yourself,' said Alice, `a great +girl like you,' (she might well say this), `to go on crying in +this way! Stop this moment, I tell you!' But she went on all +the same, shedding gallons of tears, until there was a large pool +all round her, about four inches deep and reaching half down the +hall. + + After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the +distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming. +It was the White Rabbit returning, splendidly dressed, with a +pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a large fan in the +other: he came trotting along in a great hurry, muttering to +himself as he came, `Oh! the Duchess, the Duchess! Oh! won't she +be savage if I've kept her waiting!' Alice felt so desperate +that she was ready to ask help of any one; so, when the Rabbit +came near her, she began, in a low, timid voice, `If you please, +sir--' The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid +gloves and the fan, and skurried away into the darkness as hard +as he could go. + + Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very +hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking: +`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday +things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in +the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this +morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little +different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in +the world am I? Ah, THAT'S the great puzzle!' And she began +thinking over all the children she knew that were of the same age +as herself, to see if she could have been changed for any of +them. + + `I'm sure I'm not Ada,' she said, `for her hair goes in such +long ringlets, and mine doesn't go in ringlets at all; and I'm +sure I can't be Mabel, for I know all sorts of things, and she, +oh! she knows such a very little! Besides, SHE'S she, and I'm I, +and--oh dear, how puzzling it all is! I'll try if I know all the +things I used to know. Let me see: four times five is twelve, +and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is--oh dear! +I shall never get to twenty at that rate! However, the +Multiplication Table doesn't signify: let's try Geography. +London is the capital of Paris, and Paris is the capital of Rome, +and Rome--no, THAT'S all wrong, I'm certain! I must have been +changed for Mabel! I'll try and say "How doth the little--"' +and she crossed her hands on her lap as if she were saying lessons, +and began to repeat it, but her voice sounded hoarse and +strange, and the words did not come the same as they used to do:-- + + `How doth the little crocodile + Improve his shining tail, + And pour the waters of the Nile + On every golden scale! + + `How cheerfully he seems to grin, + How neatly spread his claws, + And welcome little fishes in + With gently smiling jaws!' + + `I'm sure those are not the right words,' said poor Alice, and +her eyes filled with tears again as she went on, `I must be Mabel +after all, and I shall have to go and live in that poky little +house, and have next to no toys to play with, and oh! ever so +many lessons to learn! No, I've made up my mind about it; if I'm +Mabel, I'll stay down here! It'll be no use their putting their +heads down and saying "Come up again, dear!" I shall only look +up and say "Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if I +like being that person, I'll come up: if not, I'll stay down +here till I'm somebody else"--but, oh dear!' cried Alice, with a +sudden burst of tears, `I do wish they WOULD put their heads +down! I am so VERY tired of being all alone here!' + + As she said this she looked down at her hands, and was +surprised to see that she had put on one of the Rabbit's little +white kid gloves while she was talking. `How CAN I have done +that?' she thought. `I must be growing small again.' She got up +and went to the table to measure herself by it, and found that, +as nearly as she could guess, she was now about two feet high, +and was going on shrinking rapidly: she soon found out that the +cause of this was the fan she was holding, and she dropped it +hastily, just in time to avoid shrinking away altogether. + +`That WAS a narrow escape!' said Alice, a good deal frightened at +the sudden change, but very glad to find herself still in +existence; `and now for the garden!' and she ran with all speed +back to the little door: but, alas! the little door was shut +again, and the little golden key was lying on the glass table as +before, `and things are worse than ever,' thought the poor child, +`for I never was so small as this before, never! And I declare +it's too bad, that it is!' + + As she said these words her foot slipped, and in another +moment, splash! she was up to her chin in salt water. Her first +idea was that she had somehow fallen into the sea, `and in that +case I can go back by railway,' she said to herself. (Alice had +been to the seaside once in her life, and had come to the general +conclusion, that wherever you go to on the English coast you find +a number of bathing machines in the sea, some children digging in +the sand with wooden spades, then a row of lodging houses, and +behind them a railway station.) However, she soon made out that +she was in the pool of tears which she had wept when she was nine +feet high. + + `I wish I hadn't cried so much!' said Alice, as she swam about, +trying to find her way out. `I shall be punished for it now, I +suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That WILL be a queer +thing, to be sure! However, everything is queer to-day.' + + Just then she heard something splashing about in the pool a +little way off, and she swam nearer to make out what it was: at +first she thought it must be a walrus or hippopotamus, but then +she remembered how small she was now, and she soon made out that +it was only a mouse that had slipped in like herself. + + `Would it be of any use, now,' thought Alice, `to speak to this +mouse? Everything is so out-of-the-way down here, that I should +think very likely it can talk: at any rate, there's no harm in +trying.' So she began: `O Mouse, do you know the way out of +this pool? I am very tired of swimming about here, O Mouse!' +(Alice thought this must be the right way of speaking to a mouse: +she had never done such a thing before, but she remembered having +seen in her brother's Latin Grammar, `A mouse--of a mouse--to a +mouse--a mouse--O mouse!' The Mouse looked at her rather +inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little +eyes, but it said nothing. + + `Perhaps it doesn't understand English,' thought Alice; `I +daresay it's a French mouse, come over with William the +Conqueror.' (For, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had +no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened.) So she +began again: `Ou est ma chatte?' which was the first sentence in +her French lesson-book. The Mouse gave a sudden leap out of the +water, and seemed to quiver all over with fright. `Oh, I beg +your pardon!' cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the +poor animal's feelings. `I quite forgot you didn't like cats.' + + `Not like cats!' cried the Mouse, in a shrill, passionate +voice. `Would YOU like cats if you were me?' + + `Well, perhaps not,' said Alice in a soothing tone: `don't be +angry about it. And yet I wish I could show you our cat Dinah: +I think you'd take a fancy to cats if you could only see her. +She is such a dear quiet thing,' Alice went on, half to herself, +as she swam lazily about in the pool, `and she sits purring so +nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face--and +she is such a nice soft thing to nurse--and she's such a capital +one for catching mice--oh, I beg your pardon!' cried Alice again, +for this time the Mouse was bristling all over, and she felt +certain it must be really offended. `We won't talk about her any +more if you'd rather not.' + + `We indeed!' cried the Mouse, who was trembling down to the end +of his tail. `As if I would talk on such a subject! Our family +always HATED cats: nasty, low, vulgar things! Don't let me hear +the name again!' + + `I won't indeed!' said Alice, in a great hurry to change the +subject of conversation. `Are you--are you fond--of--of dogs?' +The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: `There is +such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you! +A little bright-eyed terrier, you know, with oh, such long curly +brown hair! And it'll fetch things when you throw them, and +it'll sit up and beg for its dinner, and all sorts of things--I +can't remember half of them--and it belongs to a farmer, you +know, and he says it's so useful, it's worth a hundred pounds! +He says it kills all the rats and--oh dear!' cried Alice in a +sorrowful tone, `I'm afraid I've offended it again!' For the +Mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go, and +making quite a commotion in the pool as it went. + + So she called softly after it, `Mouse dear! Do come back +again, and we won't talk about cats or dogs either, if you don't +like them!' When the Mouse heard this, it turned round and swam +slowly back to her: its face was quite pale (with passion, Alice +thought), and it said in a low trembling voice, `Let us get to +the shore, and then I'll tell you my history, and you'll +understand why it is I hate cats and dogs.' + + It was high time to go, for the pool was getting quite crowded +with the birds and animals that had fallen into it: there were a +Duck and a Dodo, a Lory and an Eaglet, and several other curious +creatures. Alice led the way, and the whole party swam to the +shore. + + + + CHAPTER III + + A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale + + + They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the +bank--the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their +fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and +uncomfortable. + + The first question of course was, how to get dry again: they +had a consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed +quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with +them, as if she had known them all her life. Indeed, she had +quite a long argument with the Lory, who at last turned sulky, +and would only say, `I am older than you, and must know better'; +and this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was, +and, as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no +more to be said. + + At last the Mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority among +them, called out, `Sit down, all of you, and listen to me! I'LL +soon make you dry enough!' They all sat down at once, in a large +ring, with the Mouse in the middle. Alice kept her eyes +anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad +cold if she did not get dry very soon. + + `Ahem!' said the Mouse with an important air, `are you all ready? +This is the driest thing I know. Silence all round, if you please! +"William the Conqueror, whose cause was favoured by the pope, was +soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, and had been +of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest. Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria--"' + + `Ugh!' said the Lory, with a shiver. + + `I beg your pardon!' said the Mouse, frowning, but very +politely: `Did you speak?' + + `Not I!' said the Lory hastily. + + `I thought you did,' said the Mouse. `--I proceed. "Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria, declared for him: +and even Stigand, the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury, found +it advisable--"' + + `Found WHAT?' said the Duck. + + `Found IT,' the Mouse replied rather crossly: `of course you +know what "it" means.' + + `I know what "it" means well enough, when I find a thing,' said +the Duck: `it's generally a frog or a worm. The question is, +what did the archbishop find?' + + The Mouse did not notice this question, but hurriedly went on, +`"--found it advisable to go with Edgar Atheling to meet William +and offer him the crown. William's conduct at first was +moderate. But the insolence of his Normans--" How are you +getting on now, my dear?' it continued, turning to Alice as it +spoke. + + `As wet as ever,' said Alice in a melancholy tone: `it doesn't +seem to dry me at all.' + + `In that case,' said the Dodo solemnly, rising to its feet, `I +move that the meeting adjourn, for the immediate adoption of more +energetic remedies--' + + `Speak English!' said the Eaglet. `I don't know the meaning of +half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do +either!' And the Eaglet bent down its head to hide a smile: +some of the other birds tittered audibly. + + `What I was going to say,' said the Dodo in an offended tone, +`was, that the best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race.' + + `What IS a Caucus-race?' said Alice; not that she wanted much +to know, but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that SOMEBODY +ought to speak, and no one else seemed inclined to say anything. + + `Why,' said the Dodo, `the best way to explain it is to do it.' +(And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter +day, I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.) + + First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (`the +exact shape doesn't matter,' it said,) and then all the party +were placed along the course, here and there. There was no `One, +two, three, and away,' but they began running when they liked, +and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know +when the race was over. However, when they had been running half +an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called +out `The race is over!' and they all crowded round it, panting, +and asking, `But who has won?' + + This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of +thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon +its forehead (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, +in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At +last the Dodo said, `EVERYBODY has won, and all must have +prizes.' + + `But who is to give the prizes?' quite a chorus of voices +asked. + + `Why, SHE, of course,' said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with +one finger; and the whole party at once crowded round her, +calling out in a confused way, `Prizes! Prizes!' + + Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair she put her hand +in her pocket, and pulled out a box of comfits, (luckily the salt +water had not got into it), and handed them round as prizes. +There was exactly one a-piece all round. + + `But she must have a prize herself, you know,' said the Mouse. + + `Of course,' the Dodo replied very gravely. `What else have +you got in your pocket?' he went on, turning to Alice. + + `Only a thimble,' said Alice sadly. + + `Hand it over here,' said the Dodo. + + Then they all crowded round her once more, while the Dodo +solemnly presented the thimble, saying `We beg your acceptance of +this elegant thimble'; and, when it had finished this short +speech, they all cheered. + + Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked +so grave that she did not dare to laugh; and, as she could not +think of anything to say, she simply bowed, and took the thimble, +looking as solemn as she could. + + The next thing was to eat the comfits: this caused some noise +and confusion, as the large birds complained that they could not +taste theirs, and the small ones choked and had to be patted on +the back. However, it was over at last, and they sat down again +in a ring, and begged the Mouse to tell them something more. + + `You promised to tell me your history, you know,' said Alice, +`and why it is you hate--C and D,' she added in a whisper, half +afraid that it would be offended again. + + `Mine is a long and a sad tale!' said the Mouse, turning to +Alice, and sighing. + + `It IS a long tail, certainly,' said Alice, looking down with +wonder at the Mouse's tail; `but why do you call it sad?' And +she kept on puzzling about it while the Mouse was speaking, so +that her idea of the tale was something like this:-- + + `Fury said to a + mouse, That he + met in the + house, + "Let us + both go to + law: I will + prosecute + YOU. --Come, + I'll take no + denial; We + must have a + trial: For + really this + morning I've + nothing + to do." + Said the + mouse to the + cur, "Such + a trial, + dear Sir, + With + no jury + or judge, + would be + wasting + our + breath." + "I'll be + judge, I'll + be jury," + Said + cunning + old Fury: + "I'll + try the + whole + cause, + and + condemn + you + to + death."' + + Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister +on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had +peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no +pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,' +thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?' + + So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, +for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether +the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble +of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White +Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. + + There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice +think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to +itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!' (when she thought +it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have +wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); +but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT- +POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to +her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never +before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to +take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the +field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop +down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge. + + In another moment down went Alice after it, never once +considering how in the world she was to get out again. + + The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, +and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a +moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself +falling down a very deep well. + + Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she +had plenty of time as she went down to look about her and to +wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look +down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to +see anything; then she looked at the sides of the well, and +noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves; +here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She +took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was +labelled `ORANGE MARMALADE', but to her great disappointment it +was empty: she did not like to drop the jar for fear of killing +somebody, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as she +fell past it. + + `Well!' thought Alice to herself, `after such a fall as this, I +shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they'll +all think me at home! Why, I wouldn't say anything about it, +even if I fell off the top of the house!' (Which was very likely +true.) + + Down, down, down. Would the fall NEVER come to an end! `I +wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time?' she said aloud. +`I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let +me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think--' (for, +you see, Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her +lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a VERY good +opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to +listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over) `--yes, +that's about the right distance--but then I wonder what Latitude +or Longitude I've got to?' (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, +or Longitude either, but thought they were nice grand words to +say.) + + Presently she began again. `I wonder if I shall fall right +THROUGH the earth! How funny it'll seem to come out among the +people that walk with their heads downward! The Antipathies, I +think--' (she was rather glad there WAS no one listening, this +time, as it didn't sound at all the right word) `--but I shall +have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. +Please, Ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia?' (and she tried +to curtsey as she spoke--fancy CURTSEYING as you're falling +through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) `And what +an ignorant little girl she'll think me for asking! No, it'll +never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.' + + Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so Alice soon +began talking again. `Dinah'll miss me very much to-night, I +should think!' (Dinah was the cat.) `I hope they'll remember +her saucer of milk at tea-time. Dinah my dear! I wish you were +down here with me! There are no mice in the air, I'm afraid, but +you might catch a bat, and that's very like a mouse, you know. +But do cats eat bats, I wonder?' And here Alice began to get +rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy sort of +way, `Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?' and sometimes, `Do +bats eat cats?' for, you see, as she couldn't answer either +question, it didn't much matter which way she put it. She felt +that she was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that she +was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and saying to her very +earnestly, `Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a +bat?' when suddenly, thump! thump! down she came upon a heap of +sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over. + + Alice was not a bit hurt, and she jumped up on to her feet in a +moment: she looked up, but it was all dark overhead; before her +was another long passage, and the White Rabbit was still in +sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: +away went Alice like the wind, and was just in time to hear it +say, as it turned a corner, `Oh my ears and whiskers, how late +it's getting!' She was close behind it when she turned the +corner, but the Rabbit was no longer to be seen: she found +herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps +hanging from the roof. + + There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; +and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the +other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, +wondering how she was ever to get out again. + + Suddenly she came upon a little three-legged table, all made of +solid glass; there was nothing on it except a tiny golden key, +and Alice's first thought was that it might belong to one of the +doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or +the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of +them. However, on the second time round, she came upon a low +curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little +door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key +in the lock, and to her great delight it fitted! + + Alice opened the door and found that it led into a small +passage, not much larger than a rat-hole: she knelt down and +looked along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. +How she longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about +among those beds of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but +she could not even get her head though the doorway; `and even if +my head would go through,' thought poor Alice, `it would be of +very little use without my shoulders. Oh, how I wish +I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only +know how to begin.' For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things +had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few +things indeed were really impossible. + + There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she +went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on +it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like +telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, (`which +certainly was not here before,' said Alice,) and round the neck +of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME' +beautifully printed on it in large letters. + + It was all very well to say `Drink me,' but the wise little +Alice was not going to do THAT in a hurry. `No, I'll look +first,' she said, `and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; +for she had read several nice little histories about children who +had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant +things, all because they WOULD not remember the simple rules +their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker +will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your +finger VERY deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had +never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked +`poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or +later. + + However, this bottle was NOT marked `poison,' so Alice ventured +to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort +of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast +turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished +it off. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + `What a curious feeling!' said Alice; `I must be shutting up +like a telescope.' + + And so it was indeed: she was now only ten inches high, and +her face brightened up at the thought that she was now the right +size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. +First, however, she waited for a few minutes to see if she was +going to shrink any further: she felt a little nervous about +this; `for it might end, you know,' said Alice to herself, `in my +going out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be +like then?' And she tried to fancy what the flame of a candle is +like after the candle is blown out, for she could not remember +ever having seen such a thing. + + After a while, finding that nothing more happened, she decided +on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor Alice! +when she got to the door, she found she had forgotten the +little golden key, and when she went back to the table for it, +she found she could not possibly reach it: she could see it +quite plainly through the glass, and she tried her best to climb +up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery; +and when she had tired herself out with trying, +the poor little thing sat down and cried. + + `Come, there's no use in crying like that!' said Alice to +herself, rather sharply; `I advise you to leave off this minute!' +She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very +seldom followed it), and sometimes she scolded herself so +severely as to bring tears into her eyes; and once she remembered +trying to box her own ears for having cheated herself in a game +of croquet she was playing against herself, for this curious +child was very fond of pretending to be two people. `But it's no +use now,' thought poor Alice, `to pretend to be two people! Why, +there's hardly enough of me left to make ONE respectable +person!' + + Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under +the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on +which the words `EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants. +`Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, `and if it makes me grow larger, +I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep +under the door; so either way I'll get into the garden, and I +don't care which happens!' + + She ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself, `Which +way? Which way?', holding her hand on the top of her head to +feel which way it was growing, and she was quite surprised to +find that she remained the same size: to be sure, this generally +happens when one eats cake, but Alice had got so much into the +way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, +that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the +common way. + + So she set to work, and very soon finished off the cake. + + * * * * * * * + + * * * * * * + + * * * * * * * + + + + + CHAPTER II + + The Pool of Tears + + + `Curiouser and curiouser!' cried Alice (she was so much +surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good +English); `now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that +ever was! Good-bye, feet!' (for when she looked down at her +feet, they seemed to be almost out of sight, they were getting so +far off). `Oh, my poor little feet, I wonder who will put on +your shoes and stockings for you now, dears? I'm sure _I_ shan't +be able! I shall be a great deal too far off to trouble myself +about you: you must manage the best way you can; --but I must be +kind to them,' thought Alice, `or perhaps they won't walk the +way I want to go! Let me see: I'll give them a new pair of +boots every Christmas.' + + And she went on planning to herself how she would manage it. +`They must go by the carrier,' she thought; `and how funny it'll +seem, sending presents to one's own feet! And how odd the +directions will look! + + ALICE'S RIGHT FOOT, ESQ. + HEARTHRUG, + NEAR THE FENDER, + (WITH ALICE'S LOVE). + +Oh dear, what nonsense I'm talking!' + + Just then her head struck against the roof of the hall: in +fact she was now more than nine feet high, and she at once took +up the little golden key and hurried off to the garden door. + + Poor Alice! It was as much as she could do, lying down on one +side, to look through into the garden with one eye; but to get +through was more hopeless than ever: she sat down and began to +cry again. + + `You ought to be ashamed of yourself,' said Alice, `a great +girl like you,' (she might well say this), `to go on crying in +this way! Stop this moment, I tell you!' But she went on all +the same, shedding gallons of tears, until there was a large pool +all round her, about four inches deep and reaching half down the +hall. + + After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the +distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming. +It was the White Rabbit returning, splendidly dressed, with a +pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a large fan in the +other: he came trotting along in a great hurry, muttering to +himself as he came, `Oh! the Duchess, the Duchess! Oh! won't she +be savage if I've kept her waiting!' Alice felt so desperate +that she was ready to ask help of any one; so, when the Rabbit +came near her, she began, in a low, timid voice, `If you please, +sir--' The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid +gloves and the fan, and skurried away into the darkness as hard +as he could go. + + Alice took up the fan and gloves, and, as the hall was very +hot, she kept fanning herself all the time she went on talking: +`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday +things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in +the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this +morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little +different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in +the world am I? Ah, THAT'S the great puzzle!' And she began +thinking over all the children she knew that were of the same age +as herself, to see if she could have been changed for any of +them. + + `I'm sure I'm not Ada,' she said, `for her hair goes in such +long ringlets, and mine doesn't go in ringlets at all; and I'm +sure I can't be Mabel, for I know all sorts of things, and she, +oh! she knows such a very little! Besides, SHE'S she, and I'm I, +and--oh dear, how puzzling it all is! I'll try if I know all the +things I used to know. Let me see: four times five is twelve, +and four times six is thirteen, and four times seven is--oh dear! +I shall never get to twenty at that rate! However, the +Multiplication Table doesn't signify: let's try Geography. +London is the capital of Paris, and Paris is the capital of Rome, +and Rome--no, THAT'S all wrong, I'm certain! I must have been +changed for Mabel! I'll try and say "How doth the little--"' +and she crossed her hands on her lap as if she were saying lessons, +and began to repeat it, but her voice sounded hoarse and +strange, and the words did not come the same as they used to do:-- + + `How doth the little crocodile + Improve his shining tail, + And pour the waters of the Nile + On every golden scale! + + `How cheerfully he seems to grin, + How neatly spread his claws, + And welcome little fishes in + With gently smiling jaws!' + + `I'm sure those are not the right words,' said poor Alice, and +her eyes filled with tears again as she went on, `I must be Mabel +after all, and I shall have to go and live in that poky little +house, and have next to no toys to play with, and oh! ever so +many lessons to learn! No, I've made up my mind about it; if I'm +Mabel, I'll stay down here! It'll be no use their putting their +heads down and saying "Come up again, dear!" I shall only look +up and say "Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if I +like being that person, I'll come up: if not, I'll stay down +here till I'm somebody else"--but, oh dear!' cried Alice, with a +sudden burst of tears, `I do wish they WOULD put their heads +down! I am so VERY tired of being all alone here!' + + As she said this she looked down at her hands, and was +surprised to see that she had put on one of the Rabbit's little +white kid gloves while she was talking. `How CAN I have done +that?' she thought. `I must be growing small again.' She got up +and went to the table to measure herself by it, and found that, +as nearly as she could guess, she was now about two feet high, +and was going on shrinking rapidly: she soon found out that the +cause of this was the fan she was holding, and she dropped it +hastily, just in time to avoid shrinking away altogether. + +`That WAS a narrow escape!' said Alice, a good deal frightened at +the sudden change, but very glad to find herself still in +existence; `and now for the garden!' and she ran with all speed +back to the little door: but, alas! the little door was shut +again, and the little golden key was lying on the glass table as +before, `and things are worse than ever,' thought the poor child, +`for I never was so small as this before, never! And I declare +it's too bad, that it is!' + + As she said these words her foot slipped, and in another +moment, splash! she was up to her chin in salt water. Her first +idea was that she had somehow fallen into the sea, `and in that +case I can go back by railway,' she said to herself. (Alice had +been to the seaside once in her life, and had come to the general +conclusion, that wherever you go to on the English coast you find +a number of bathing machines in the sea, some children digging in +the sand with wooden spades, then a row of lodging houses, and +behind them a railway station.) However, she soon made out that +she was in the pool of tears which she had wept when she was nine +feet high. + + `I wish I hadn't cried so much!' said Alice, as she swam about, +trying to find her way out. `I shall be punished for it now, I +suppose, by being drowned in my own tears! That WILL be a queer +thing, to be sure! However, everything is queer to-day.' + + Just then she heard something splashing about in the pool a +little way off, and she swam nearer to make out what it was: at +first she thought it must be a walrus or hippopotamus, but then +she remembered how small she was now, and she soon made out that +it was only a mouse that had slipped in like herself. + + `Would it be of any use, now,' thought Alice, `to speak to this +mouse? Everything is so out-of-the-way down here, that I should +think very likely it can talk: at any rate, there's no harm in +trying.' So she began: `O Mouse, do you know the way out of +this pool? I am very tired of swimming about here, O Mouse!' +(Alice thought this must be the right way of speaking to a mouse: +she had never done such a thing before, but she remembered having +seen in her brother's Latin Grammar, `A mouse--of a mouse--to a +mouse--a mouse--O mouse!' The Mouse looked at her rather +inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little +eyes, but it said nothing. + + `Perhaps it doesn't understand English,' thought Alice; `I +daresay it's a French mouse, come over with William the +Conqueror.' (For, with all her knowledge of history, Alice had +no very clear notion how long ago anything had happened.) So she +began again: `Ou est ma chatte?' which was the first sentence in +her French lesson-book. The Mouse gave a sudden leap out of the +water, and seemed to quiver all over with fright. `Oh, I beg +your pardon!' cried Alice hastily, afraid that she had hurt the +poor animal's feelings. `I quite forgot you didn't like cats.' + + `Not like cats!' cried the Mouse, in a shrill, passionate +voice. `Would YOU like cats if you were me?' + + `Well, perhaps not,' said Alice in a soothing tone: `don't be +angry about it. And yet I wish I could show you our cat Dinah: +I think you'd take a fancy to cats if you could only see her. +She is such a dear quiet thing,' Alice went on, half to herself, +as she swam lazily about in the pool, `and she sits purring so +nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face--and +she is such a nice soft thing to nurse--and she's such a capital +one for catching mice--oh, I beg your pardon!' cried Alice again, +for this time the Mouse was bristling all over, and she felt +certain it must be really offended. `We won't talk about her any +more if you'd rather not.' + + `We indeed!' cried the Mouse, who was trembling down to the end +of his tail. `As if I would talk on such a subject! Our family +always HATED cats: nasty, low, vulgar things! Don't let me hear +the name again!' + + `I won't indeed!' said Alice, in a great hurry to change the +subject of conversation. `Are you--are you fond--of--of dogs?' +The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: `There is +such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you! +A little bright-eyed terrier, you know, with oh, such long curly +brown hair! And it'll fetch things when you throw them, and +it'll sit up and beg for its dinner, and all sorts of things--I +can't remember half of them--and it belongs to a farmer, you +know, and he says it's so useful, it's worth a hundred pounds! +He says it kills all the rats and--oh dear!' cried Alice in a +sorrowful tone, `I'm afraid I've offended it again!' For the +Mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go, and +making quite a commotion in the pool as it went. + + So she called softly after it, `Mouse dear! Do come back +again, and we won't talk about cats or dogs either, if you don't +like them!' When the Mouse heard this, it turned round and swam +slowly back to her: its face was quite pale (with passion, Alice +thought), and it said in a low trembling voice, `Let us get to +the shore, and then I'll tell you my history, and you'll +understand why it is I hate cats and dogs.' + + It was high time to go, for the pool was getting quite crowded +with the birds and animals that had fallen into it: there were a +Duck and a Dodo, a Lory and an Eaglet, and several other curious +creatures. Alice led the way, and the whole party swam to the +shore. + + + + CHAPTER III + + A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale + + + They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the +bank--the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their +fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and +uncomfortable. + + The first question of course was, how to get dry again: they +had a consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed +quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with +them, as if she had known them all her life. Indeed, she had +quite a long argument with the Lory, who at last turned sulky, +and would only say, `I am older than you, and must know better'; +and this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was, +and, as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no +more to be said. + + At last the Mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority among +them, called out, `Sit down, all of you, and listen to me! I'LL +soon make you dry enough!' They all sat down at once, in a large +ring, with the Mouse in the middle. Alice kept her eyes +anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad +cold if she did not get dry very soon. + + `Ahem!' said the Mouse with an important air, `are you all ready? +This is the driest thing I know. Silence all round, if you please! +"William the Conqueror, whose cause was favoured by the pope, was +soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, and had been +of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest. Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria--"' + + `Ugh!' said the Lory, with a shiver. + + `I beg your pardon!' said the Mouse, frowning, but very +politely: `Did you speak?' + + `Not I!' said the Lory hastily. + + `I thought you did,' said the Mouse. `--I proceed. "Edwin and +Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria, declared for him: +and even Stigand, the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury, found +it advisable--"' + + `Found WHAT?' said the Duck. + + `Found IT,' the Mouse replied rather crossly: `of course you +know what "it" means.' + + `I know what "it" means well enough, when I find a thing,' said +the Duck: `it's generally a frog or a worm. The question is, +what did the archbishop find?' + + The Mouse did not notice this question, but hurriedly went on, +`"--found it advisable to go with Edgar Atheling to meet William +and offer him the crown. William's conduct at first was +moderate. But the insolence of his Normans--" How are you +getting on now, my dear?' it continued, turning to Alice as it +spoke. + + `As wet as ever,' said Alice in a melancholy tone: `it doesn't +seem to dry me at all.' + + `In that case,' said the Dodo solemnly, rising to its feet, `I +move that the meeting adjourn, for the immediate adoption of more +energetic remedies--' + + `Speak English!' said the Eaglet. `I don't know the meaning of +half those long words, and, what's more, I don't believe you do +either!' And the Eaglet bent down its head to hide a smile: +some of the other birds tittered audibly. + + `What I was going to say,' said the Dodo in an offended tone, +`was, that the best thing to get us dry would be a Caucus-race.' + + `What IS a Caucus-race?' said Alice; not that she wanted much +to know, but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that SOMEBODY +ought to speak, and no one else seemed inclined to say anything. + + `Why,' said the Dodo, `the best way to explain it is to do it.' +(And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter +day, I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.) + + First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (`the +exact shape doesn't matter,' it said,) and then all the party +were placed along the course, here and there. There was no `One, +two, three, and away,' but they began running when they liked, +and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know +when the race was over. However, when they had been running half +an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called +out `The race is over!' and they all crowded round it, panting, +and asking, `But who has won?' + + This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of +thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon +its forehead (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, +in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At +last the Dodo said, `EVERYBODY has won, and all must have +prizes.' + + `But who is to give the prizes?' quite a chorus of voices +asked. + + `Why, SHE, of course,' said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with +one finger; and the whole party at once crowded round her, +calling out in a confused way, `Prizes! Prizes!' + + Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair she put her hand +in her pocket, and pulled out a box of comfits, (luckily the salt +water had not got into it), and handed them round as prizes. +There was exactly one a-piece all round. + + `But she must have a prize herself, you know,' said the Mouse. + + `Of course,' the Dodo replied very gravely. `What else have +you got in your pocket?' he went on, turning to Alice. + + `Only a thimble,' said Alice sadly. + + `Hand it over here,' said the Dodo. + + Then they all crowded round her once more, while the Dodo +solemnly presented the thimble, saying `We beg your acceptance of +this elegant thimble'; and, when it had finished this short +speech, they all cheered. + + Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked +so grave that she did not dare to laugh; and, as she could not +think of anything to say, she simply bowed, and took the thimble, +looking as solemn as she could. + + The next thing was to eat the comfits: this caused some noise +and confusion, as the large birds complained that they could not +taste theirs, and the small ones choked and had to be patted on +the back. However, it was over at last, and they sat down again +in a ring, and begged the Mouse to tell them something more. + + `You promised to tell me your history, you know,' said Alice, +`and why it is you hate--C and D,' she added in a whisper, half +afraid that it would be offended again. + + `Mine is a long and a sad tale!' said the Mouse, turning to +Alice, and sighing. + + `It IS a long tail, certainly,' said Alice, looking down with +wonder at the Mouse's tail; `but why do you call it sad?' And +she kept on puzzling about it while the Mouse was speaking, so +that her idea of the tale was something like this:-- + + `Fury said to a + mouse, That he + met in the + house, + "Let us + both go to + law: I will + prosecute + YOU. --Come, + I'll take no + denial; We + must have a + trial: For + really this + morning I've + nothing + to do." + Said the + mouse to the + cur, "Such + a trial, + dear Sir, + With + no jury + or judge, + would be + wasting + our + breath." + "I'll be + judge, I'll + be jury," + Said + cunning + old Fury: + "I'll + try the + whole + cause, + and + condemn + you + to + death."' + +