Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
wouldn't talk about wasting IT. It's HIM.' `
` `
` `I don't know what you mean,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Of course you don't!' the Hatter said, tossing his head `
` contemptuously. `I dare say you never even spoke to Time!' `
` `
` `Perhaps not,' Alice cautiously replied: `but I know I have to `
` beat time when I learn music.' `
` `
` `Ah! that accounts for it,' said the Hatter. `He won't stand `
` beating. Now, if you only kept on good terms with him, he'd do `
` almost anything you liked with the clock. For instance, suppose `
` it were nine o'clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: `
` you'd only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the `
` clock in a twinkling! Half-past one, time for dinner!' `
` `
` (`I only wish it was,' the March Hare said to itself in a `
` whisper.) `
` `
` `That would be grand, certainly,' said Alice thoughtfully: `
` `but then--I shouldn't be hungry for it, you know.' `
` `
` `Not at first, perhaps,' said the Hatter: `but you could keep `
` it to half-past one as long as you liked.' `
` `
` `Is that the way YOU manage?' Alice asked. `
` `
` The Hatter shook his head mournfully. `Not I!' he replied. `
` `We quarrelled last March--just before HE went mad, you know--' `
` (pointing with his tea spoon at the March Hare,) `--it was at the `
` great concert given by the Queen of Hearts, and I had to sing `
` `
` "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! `
` How I wonder what you're at!" `
` `
` You know the song, perhaps?' `
` `
` `I've heard something like it,' said Alice. `
` `
` `It goes on, you know,' the Hatter continued, `in this way:-- `
` `
` "Up above the world you fly, `
` Like a tea-tray in the sky. `
` Twinkle, twinkle--"' `
` `
` Here the Dormouse shook itself, and began singing in its sleep `
` `Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle--' and went on so long that `
` they had to pinch it to make it stop. `
` `
` `Well, I'd hardly finished the first verse,' said the Hatter, `
` `when the Queen jumped up and bawled out, "He's murdering the `
` time! Off with his head!"' `
` `
` `How dreadfully savage!' exclaimed Alice. `
` `
` `And ever since that,' the Hatter went on in a mournful tone, `
` `he won't do a thing I ask! It's always six o'clock now.' `
` `
` A bright idea came into Alice's head. `Is that the reason so `
` many tea-things are put out here?' she asked. `
` `
` `Yes, that's it,' said the Hatter with a sigh: `it's always `
` tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.' `
` `
` `Then you keep moving round, I suppose?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Exactly so,' said the Hatter: `as the things get used up.' `
` `
` `But what happens when you come to the beginning again?' Alice `
` ventured to ask. `
` `
` `Suppose we change the subject,' the March Hare interrupted, `
` yawning. `I'm getting tired of this. I vote the young lady `
` tells us a story.' `
` `
` `I'm afraid I don't know one,' said Alice, rather alarmed at `
` the proposal. `
` `
` `Then the Dormouse shall!' they both cried. `Wake up, `
` Dormouse!' And they pinched it on both sides at once. `
` `
` The Dormouse slowly opened his eyes. `I wasn't asleep,' he `
` said in a hoarse, feeble voice: `I heard every word you fellows `
` were saying.' `
` `
` `Tell us a story!' said the March Hare. `
` `
` `Yes, please do!' pleaded Alice. `
` `
` `And be quick about it,' added the Hatter, `or you'll be asleep `
` again before it's done.' `
` `
` `Once upon a time there were three little sisters,' the `
` Dormouse began in a great hurry; `and their names were Elsie, `
` Lacie, and Tillie; and they lived at the bottom of a well--' `
` `
` `What did they live on?' said Alice, who always took a great `
` interest in questions of eating and drinking. `
` `
` `They lived on treacle,' said the Dormouse, after thinking a `
` minute or two. `
` `
` `They couldn't have done that, you know,' Alice gently `
` remarked; `they'd have been ill.' `
` `
` `So they were,' said the Dormouse; `VERY ill.' `
` `
` Alice tried to fancy to herself what such an extraordinary ways `
` of living would be like, but it puzzled her too much, so she went `
` on: `But why did they live at the bottom of a well?' `
` `
` `Take some more tea,' the March Hare said to Alice, very `
` earnestly. `
` `
` `I've had nothing yet,' Alice replied in an offended tone, `so `
` I can't take more.' `
` `
` `You mean you can't take LESS,' said the Hatter: `it's very `
` easy to take MORE than nothing.' `
` `
` `Nobody asked YOUR opinion,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Who's making personal remarks now?' the Hatter asked `
` triumphantly. `
` `
` Alice did not quite know what to say to this: so she helped `
` herself to some tea and bread-and-butter, and then turned to the `
` Dormouse, and repeated her question. `Why did they live at the `
` bottom of a well?' `
` `
` The Dormouse again took a minute or two to think about it, and `
` then said, `It was a treacle-well.' `
` `
` `There's no such thing!' Alice was beginning very angrily, but `
` the Hatter and the March Hare went `Sh! sh!' and the Dormouse `
` sulkily remarked, `If you can't be civil, you'd better finish the `
` story for yourself.' `
` `
` `No, please go on!' Alice said very humbly; `I won't interrupt `
` again. I dare say there may be ONE.' `
` `
` `One, indeed!' said the Dormouse indignantly. However, he `
` consented to go on. `And so these three little sisters--they `
` were learning to draw, you know--' `
` `
` `What did they draw?' said Alice, quite forgetting her promise. `
` `
` `Treacle,' said the Dormouse, without considering at all this `
` time. `
` `
` `I want a clean cup,' interrupted the Hatter: `let's all move `
` one place on.' `
` `
` He moved on as he spoke, and the Dormouse followed him: the `
` March Hare moved into the Dormouse's place, and Alice rather `
` unwillingly took the place of the March Hare. The Hatter was the `
` only one who got any advantage from the change: and Alice was a `
` good deal worse off than before, as the March Hare had just upset `
` the milk-jug into his plate. `
` `
` Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began `
` very cautiously: `But I don't understand. Where did they draw `
` the treacle from?' `
` `
` `You can draw water out of a water-well,' said the Hatter; `so `
` I should think you could draw treacle out of a treacle-well--eh, `
` stupid?' `
` `
` `But they were IN the well,' Alice said to the Dormouse, not `
` choosing to notice this last remark. `
` `
` `Of course they were', said the Dormouse; `--well in.' `
` `
` This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse `
` go on for some time without interrupting it. `
` `
` `They were learning to draw,' the Dormouse went on, yawning and `
` rubbing its eyes, for it was getting very sleepy; `and they drew `
` all manner of things--everything that begins with an M--' `
` `
` `Why with an M?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Why not?' said the March Hare. `
` `
` Alice was silent. `
` `
` The Dormouse had closed its eyes by this time, and was going `
` off into a doze; but, on being pinched by the Hatter, it woke up `
` again with a little shriek, and went on: `--that begins with an `
` M, such as mouse-traps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness-- `
` you know you say things are "much of a muchness"--did you ever `
` see such a thing as a drawing of a muchness?' `
` `
` `Really, now you ask me,' said Alice, very much confused, `I `
` don't think--' `
` `
` `Then you shouldn't talk,' said the Hatter. `
` `
` This piece of rudeness was more than Alice could bear: she got `
` up in great disgust, and walked off; the Dormouse fell asleep `
`
` `
` `I don't know what you mean,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Of course you don't!' the Hatter said, tossing his head `
` contemptuously. `I dare say you never even spoke to Time!' `
` `
` `Perhaps not,' Alice cautiously replied: `but I know I have to `
` beat time when I learn music.' `
` `
` `Ah! that accounts for it,' said the Hatter. `He won't stand `
` beating. Now, if you only kept on good terms with him, he'd do `
` almost anything you liked with the clock. For instance, suppose `
` it were nine o'clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: `
` you'd only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the `
` clock in a twinkling! Half-past one, time for dinner!' `
` `
` (`I only wish it was,' the March Hare said to itself in a `
` whisper.) `
` `
` `That would be grand, certainly,' said Alice thoughtfully: `
` `but then--I shouldn't be hungry for it, you know.' `
` `
` `Not at first, perhaps,' said the Hatter: `but you could keep `
` it to half-past one as long as you liked.' `
` `
` `Is that the way YOU manage?' Alice asked. `
` `
` The Hatter shook his head mournfully. `Not I!' he replied. `
` `We quarrelled last March--just before HE went mad, you know--' `
` (pointing with his tea spoon at the March Hare,) `--it was at the `
` great concert given by the Queen of Hearts, and I had to sing `
` `
` "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! `
` How I wonder what you're at!" `
` `
` You know the song, perhaps?' `
` `
` `I've heard something like it,' said Alice. `
` `
` `It goes on, you know,' the Hatter continued, `in this way:-- `
` `
` "Up above the world you fly, `
` Like a tea-tray in the sky. `
` Twinkle, twinkle--"' `
` `
` Here the Dormouse shook itself, and began singing in its sleep `
` `Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle--' and went on so long that `
` they had to pinch it to make it stop. `
` `
` `Well, I'd hardly finished the first verse,' said the Hatter, `
` `when the Queen jumped up and bawled out, "He's murdering the `
` time! Off with his head!"' `
` `
` `How dreadfully savage!' exclaimed Alice. `
` `
` `And ever since that,' the Hatter went on in a mournful tone, `
` `he won't do a thing I ask! It's always six o'clock now.' `
` `
` A bright idea came into Alice's head. `Is that the reason so `
` many tea-things are put out here?' she asked. `
` `
` `Yes, that's it,' said the Hatter with a sigh: `it's always `
` tea-time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.' `
` `
` `Then you keep moving round, I suppose?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Exactly so,' said the Hatter: `as the things get used up.' `
` `
` `But what happens when you come to the beginning again?' Alice `
` ventured to ask. `
` `
` `Suppose we change the subject,' the March Hare interrupted, `
` yawning. `I'm getting tired of this. I vote the young lady `
` tells us a story.' `
` `
` `I'm afraid I don't know one,' said Alice, rather alarmed at `
` the proposal. `
` `
` `Then the Dormouse shall!' they both cried. `Wake up, `
` Dormouse!' And they pinched it on both sides at once. `
` `
` The Dormouse slowly opened his eyes. `I wasn't asleep,' he `
` said in a hoarse, feeble voice: `I heard every word you fellows `
` were saying.' `
` `
` `Tell us a story!' said the March Hare. `
` `
` `Yes, please do!' pleaded Alice. `
` `
` `And be quick about it,' added the Hatter, `or you'll be asleep `
` again before it's done.' `
` `
` `Once upon a time there were three little sisters,' the `
` Dormouse began in a great hurry; `and their names were Elsie, `
` Lacie, and Tillie; and they lived at the bottom of a well--' `
` `
` `What did they live on?' said Alice, who always took a great `
` interest in questions of eating and drinking. `
` `
` `They lived on treacle,' said the Dormouse, after thinking a `
` minute or two. `
` `
` `They couldn't have done that, you know,' Alice gently `
` remarked; `they'd have been ill.' `
` `
` `So they were,' said the Dormouse; `VERY ill.' `
` `
` Alice tried to fancy to herself what such an extraordinary ways `
` of living would be like, but it puzzled her too much, so she went `
` on: `But why did they live at the bottom of a well?' `
` `
` `Take some more tea,' the March Hare said to Alice, very `
` earnestly. `
` `
` `I've had nothing yet,' Alice replied in an offended tone, `so `
` I can't take more.' `
` `
` `You mean you can't take LESS,' said the Hatter: `it's very `
` easy to take MORE than nothing.' `
` `
` `Nobody asked YOUR opinion,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Who's making personal remarks now?' the Hatter asked `
` triumphantly. `
` `
` Alice did not quite know what to say to this: so she helped `
` herself to some tea and bread-and-butter, and then turned to the `
` Dormouse, and repeated her question. `Why did they live at the `
` bottom of a well?' `
` `
` The Dormouse again took a minute or two to think about it, and `
` then said, `It was a treacle-well.' `
` `
` `There's no such thing!' Alice was beginning very angrily, but `
` the Hatter and the March Hare went `Sh! sh!' and the Dormouse `
` sulkily remarked, `If you can't be civil, you'd better finish the `
` story for yourself.' `
` `
` `No, please go on!' Alice said very humbly; `I won't interrupt `
` again. I dare say there may be ONE.' `
` `
` `One, indeed!' said the Dormouse indignantly. However, he `
` consented to go on. `And so these three little sisters--they `
` were learning to draw, you know--' `
` `
` `What did they draw?' said Alice, quite forgetting her promise. `
` `
` `Treacle,' said the Dormouse, without considering at all this `
` time. `
` `
` `I want a clean cup,' interrupted the Hatter: `let's all move `
` one place on.' `
` `
` He moved on as he spoke, and the Dormouse followed him: the `
` March Hare moved into the Dormouse's place, and Alice rather `
` unwillingly took the place of the March Hare. The Hatter was the `
` only one who got any advantage from the change: and Alice was a `
` good deal worse off than before, as the March Hare had just upset `
` the milk-jug into his plate. `
` `
` Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began `
` very cautiously: `But I don't understand. Where did they draw `
` the treacle from?' `
` `
` `You can draw water out of a water-well,' said the Hatter; `so `
` I should think you could draw treacle out of a treacle-well--eh, `
` stupid?' `
` `
` `But they were IN the well,' Alice said to the Dormouse, not `
` choosing to notice this last remark. `
` `
` `Of course they were', said the Dormouse; `--well in.' `
` `
` This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse `
` go on for some time without interrupting it. `
` `
` `They were learning to draw,' the Dormouse went on, yawning and `
` rubbing its eyes, for it was getting very sleepy; `and they drew `
` all manner of things--everything that begins with an M--' `
` `
` `Why with an M?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Why not?' said the March Hare. `
` `
` Alice was silent. `
` `
` The Dormouse had closed its eyes by this time, and was going `
` off into a doze; but, on being pinched by the Hatter, it woke up `
` again with a little shriek, and went on: `--that begins with an `
` M, such as mouse-traps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness-- `
` you know you say things are "much of a muchness"--did you ever `
` see such a thing as a drawing of a muchness?' `
` `
` `Really, now you ask me,' said Alice, very much confused, `I `
` don't think--' `
` `
` `Then you shouldn't talk,' said the Hatter. `
` `
` This piece of rudeness was more than Alice could bear: she got `
` up in great disgust, and walked off; the Dormouse fell asleep `
`