Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
`
` `After that,' continued the Hatter, `I cut some more bread- `
` and-butter--' `
` `
` `But what did the Dormouse say?' one of the jury asked. `
` `
` `That I can't remember,' said the Hatter. `
` `
` `You MUST remember,' remarked the King, `or I'll have you `
` executed.' `
` `
` The miserable Hatter dropped his teacup and bread-and-butter, `
` and went down on one knee. `I'm a poor man, your Majesty,' he `
` began. `
` `
` `You're a very poor speaker,' said the King. `
` `
` Here one of the guinea-pigs cheered, and was immediately `
` suppressed by the officers of the court. (As that is rather a `
` hard word, I will just explain to you how it was done. They had `
` a large canvas bag, which tied up at the mouth with strings: `
` into this they slipped the guinea-pig, head first, and then sat `
` upon it.) `
` `
` `I'm glad I've seen that done,' thought Alice. `I've so often `
` read in the newspapers, at the end of trials, "There was some `
` attempts at applause, which was immediately suppressed by the `
` officers of the court," and I never understood what it meant `
` till now.' `
` `
` `If that's all you know about it, you may stand down,' `
` continued the King. `
` `
` `I can't go no lower,' said the Hatter: `I'm on the floor, as `
` it is.' `
` `
` `Then you may SIT down,' the King replied. `
` `
` Here the other guinea-pig cheered, and was suppressed. `
` `
` `Come, that finished the guinea-pigs!' thought Alice. `Now we `
` shall get on better.' `
` `
` `I'd rather finish my tea,' said the Hatter, with an anxious `
` look at the Queen, who was reading the list of singers. `
` `
` `You may go,' said the King, and the Hatter hurriedly left the `
` court, without even waiting to put his shoes on. `
` `
` `--and just take his head off outside,' the Queen added to one `
` of the officers: but the Hatter was out of sight before the `
` officer could get to the door. `
` `
` `Call the next witness!' said the King. `
` `
` The next witness was the Duchess's cook. She carried the `
` pepper-box in her hand, and Alice guessed who it was, even before `
` she got into the court, by the way the people near the door began `
` sneezing all at once. `
` `
` `Give your evidence,' said the King. `
` `
` `Shan't,' said the cook. `
` `
` The King looked anxiously at the White Rabbit, who said in a `
` low voice, `Your Majesty must cross-examine THIS witness.' `
` `
` `Well, if I must, I must,' the King said, with a melancholy `
` air, and, after folding his arms and frowning at the cook till `
` his eyes were nearly out of sight, he said in a deep voice, `What `
` are tarts made of?' `
` `
` `Pepper, mostly,' said the cook. `
` `
` `Treacle,' said a sleepy voice behind her. `
` `
` `Collar that Dormouse,' the Queen shrieked out. `Behead that `
` Dormouse! Turn that Dormouse out of court! Suppress him! Pinch `
` him! Off with his whiskers!' `
` `
` For some minutes the whole court was in confusion, getting the `
` Dormouse turned out, and, by the time they had settled down `
` again, the cook had disappeared. `
` `
` `Never mind!' said the King, with an air of great relief. `
` `Call the next witness.' And he added in an undertone to the `
` Queen, `Really, my dear, YOU must cross-examine the next witness. `
` It quite makes my forehead ache!' `
` `
` Alice watched the White Rabbit as he fumbled over the list, `
` feeling very curious to see what the next witness would be like, `
` `--for they haven't got much evidence YET,' she said to herself. `
` Imagine her surprise, when the White Rabbit read out, at the top `
` of his shrill little voice, the name `Alice!' `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XII `
` `
` Alice's Evidence `
` `
` `
` `Here!' cried Alice, quite forgetting in the flurry of the `
` moment how large she had grown in the last few minutes, and she `
` jumped up in such a hurry that she tipped over the jury-box with `
` the edge of her skirt, upsetting all the jurymen on to the heads `
` of the crowd below, and there they lay sprawling about, reminding `
` her very much of a globe of goldfish she had accidentally upset `
` the week before. `
` `
` `Oh, I BEG your pardon!' she exclaimed in a tone of great `
` dismay, and began picking them up again as quickly as she could, `
` for the accident of the goldfish kept running in her head, and `
` she had a vague sort of idea that they must be collected at once `
` and put back into the jury-box, or they would die. `
` `
` `The trial cannot proceed,' said the King in a very grave `
` voice, `until all the jurymen are back in their proper places-- `
` ALL,' he repeated with great emphasis, looking hard at Alice as `
` he said do. `
` `
` Alice looked at the jury-box, and saw that, in her haste, she `
` had put the Lizard in head downwards, and the poor little thing `
` was waving its tail about in a melancholy way, being quite unable `
` to move. She soon got it out again, and put it right; `not that `
` it signifies much,' she said to herself; `I should think it `
` would be QUITE as much use in the trial one way up as the other.' `
` `
` As soon as the jury had a little recovered from the shock of `
` being upset, and their slates and pencils had been found and `
` handed back to them, they set to work very diligently to write `
` out a history of the accident, all except the Lizard, who seemed `
` too much overcome to do anything but sit with its mouth open, `
` gazing up into the roof of the court. `
` `
` `What do you know about this business?' the King said to `
` Alice. `
` `
` `Nothing,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Nothing WHATEVER?' persisted the King. `
` `
` `Nothing whatever,' said Alice. `
` `
` `That's very important,' the King said, turning to the jury. `
` They were just beginning to write this down on their slates, when `
` the White Rabbit interrupted: `UNimportant, your Majesty means, `
` of course,' he said in a very respectful tone, but frowning and `
` making faces at him as he spoke. `
` `
` `UNimportant, of course, I meant,' the King hastily said, and `
` went on to himself in an undertone, `important--unimportant-- `
` unimportant--important--' as if he were trying which word `
` sounded best. `
` `
` Some of the jury wrote it down `important,' and some `
` `unimportant.' Alice could see this, as she was near enough to `
` look over their slates; `but it doesn't matter a bit,' she `
` thought to herself. `
` `
` At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily `
` writing in his note-book, cackled out `Silence!' and read out `
` from his book, `Rule Forty-two. ALL PERSONS MORE THAN A MILE `
` HIGH TO LEAVE THE COURT.' `
` `
` Everybody looked at Alice. `
` `
` `I'M not a mile high,' said Alice. `
` `
` `You are,' said the King. `
` `
` `Nearly two miles high,' added the Queen. `
` `
` `Well, I shan't go, at any rate,' said Alice: `besides, `
` that's not a regular rule: you invented it just now.' `
` `
` `It's the oldest rule in the book,' said the King. `
` `
` `Then it ought to be Number One,' said Alice. `
` `
` The King turned pale, and shut his note-book hastily. `
` `Consider your verdict,' he said to the jury, in a low, trembling `
` voice. `
` `
` `There's more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty,' said `
` the White Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry; `this paper has `
` just been picked up.' `
` `
` `What's in it?' said the Queen. `
` `
` `I haven't opened it yet,' said the White Rabbit, `but it seems `
` to be a letter, written by the prisoner to--to somebody.' `
` `
` `It must have been that,' said the King, `unless it was `
` written to nobody, which isn't usual, you know.' `
` `
` `Who is it directed to?' said one of the jurymen. `
` `
` `It isn't directed at all,' said the White Rabbit; `in fact, `
` there's nothing written on the OUTSIDE.' He unfolded the paper `
` as he spoke, and added `It isn't a letter, after all: it's a set `
`
` `After that,' continued the Hatter, `I cut some more bread- `
` and-butter--' `
` `
` `But what did the Dormouse say?' one of the jury asked. `
` `
` `That I can't remember,' said the Hatter. `
` `
` `You MUST remember,' remarked the King, `or I'll have you `
` executed.' `
` `
` The miserable Hatter dropped his teacup and bread-and-butter, `
` and went down on one knee. `I'm a poor man, your Majesty,' he `
` began. `
` `
` `You're a very poor speaker,' said the King. `
` `
` Here one of the guinea-pigs cheered, and was immediately `
` suppressed by the officers of the court. (As that is rather a `
` hard word, I will just explain to you how it was done. They had `
` a large canvas bag, which tied up at the mouth with strings: `
` into this they slipped the guinea-pig, head first, and then sat `
` upon it.) `
` `
` `I'm glad I've seen that done,' thought Alice. `I've so often `
` read in the newspapers, at the end of trials, "There was some `
` attempts at applause, which was immediately suppressed by the `
` officers of the court," and I never understood what it meant `
` till now.' `
` `
` `If that's all you know about it, you may stand down,' `
` continued the King. `
` `
` `I can't go no lower,' said the Hatter: `I'm on the floor, as `
` it is.' `
` `
` `Then you may SIT down,' the King replied. `
` `
` Here the other guinea-pig cheered, and was suppressed. `
` `
` `Come, that finished the guinea-pigs!' thought Alice. `Now we `
` shall get on better.' `
` `
` `I'd rather finish my tea,' said the Hatter, with an anxious `
` look at the Queen, who was reading the list of singers. `
` `
` `You may go,' said the King, and the Hatter hurriedly left the `
` court, without even waiting to put his shoes on. `
` `
` `--and just take his head off outside,' the Queen added to one `
` of the officers: but the Hatter was out of sight before the `
` officer could get to the door. `
` `
` `Call the next witness!' said the King. `
` `
` The next witness was the Duchess's cook. She carried the `
` pepper-box in her hand, and Alice guessed who it was, even before `
` she got into the court, by the way the people near the door began `
` sneezing all at once. `
` `
` `Give your evidence,' said the King. `
` `
` `Shan't,' said the cook. `
` `
` The King looked anxiously at the White Rabbit, who said in a `
` low voice, `Your Majesty must cross-examine THIS witness.' `
` `
` `Well, if I must, I must,' the King said, with a melancholy `
` air, and, after folding his arms and frowning at the cook till `
` his eyes were nearly out of sight, he said in a deep voice, `What `
` are tarts made of?' `
` `
` `Pepper, mostly,' said the cook. `
` `
` `Treacle,' said a sleepy voice behind her. `
` `
` `Collar that Dormouse,' the Queen shrieked out. `Behead that `
` Dormouse! Turn that Dormouse out of court! Suppress him! Pinch `
` him! Off with his whiskers!' `
` `
` For some minutes the whole court was in confusion, getting the `
` Dormouse turned out, and, by the time they had settled down `
` again, the cook had disappeared. `
` `
` `Never mind!' said the King, with an air of great relief. `
` `Call the next witness.' And he added in an undertone to the `
` Queen, `Really, my dear, YOU must cross-examine the next witness. `
` It quite makes my forehead ache!' `
` `
` Alice watched the White Rabbit as he fumbled over the list, `
` feeling very curious to see what the next witness would be like, `
` `--for they haven't got much evidence YET,' she said to herself. `
` Imagine her surprise, when the White Rabbit read out, at the top `
` of his shrill little voice, the name `Alice!' `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XII `
` `
` Alice's Evidence `
` `
` `
` `Here!' cried Alice, quite forgetting in the flurry of the `
` moment how large she had grown in the last few minutes, and she `
` jumped up in such a hurry that she tipped over the jury-box with `
` the edge of her skirt, upsetting all the jurymen on to the heads `
` of the crowd below, and there they lay sprawling about, reminding `
` her very much of a globe of goldfish she had accidentally upset `
` the week before. `
` `
` `Oh, I BEG your pardon!' she exclaimed in a tone of great `
` dismay, and began picking them up again as quickly as she could, `
` for the accident of the goldfish kept running in her head, and `
` she had a vague sort of idea that they must be collected at once `
` and put back into the jury-box, or they would die. `
` `
` `The trial cannot proceed,' said the King in a very grave `
` voice, `until all the jurymen are back in their proper places-- `
` ALL,' he repeated with great emphasis, looking hard at Alice as `
` he said do. `
` `
` Alice looked at the jury-box, and saw that, in her haste, she `
` had put the Lizard in head downwards, and the poor little thing `
` was waving its tail about in a melancholy way, being quite unable `
` to move. She soon got it out again, and put it right; `not that `
` it signifies much,' she said to herself; `I should think it `
` would be QUITE as much use in the trial one way up as the other.' `
` `
` As soon as the jury had a little recovered from the shock of `
` being upset, and their slates and pencils had been found and `
` handed back to them, they set to work very diligently to write `
` out a history of the accident, all except the Lizard, who seemed `
` too much overcome to do anything but sit with its mouth open, `
` gazing up into the roof of the court. `
` `
` `What do you know about this business?' the King said to `
` Alice. `
` `
` `Nothing,' said Alice. `
` `
` `Nothing WHATEVER?' persisted the King. `
` `
` `Nothing whatever,' said Alice. `
` `
` `That's very important,' the King said, turning to the jury. `
` They were just beginning to write this down on their slates, when `
` the White Rabbit interrupted: `UNimportant, your Majesty means, `
` of course,' he said in a very respectful tone, but frowning and `
` making faces at him as he spoke. `
` `
` `UNimportant, of course, I meant,' the King hastily said, and `
` went on to himself in an undertone, `important--unimportant-- `
` unimportant--important--' as if he were trying which word `
` sounded best. `
` `
` Some of the jury wrote it down `important,' and some `
` `unimportant.' Alice could see this, as she was near enough to `
` look over their slates; `but it doesn't matter a bit,' she `
` thought to herself. `
` `
` At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily `
` writing in his note-book, cackled out `Silence!' and read out `
` from his book, `Rule Forty-two. ALL PERSONS MORE THAN A MILE `
` HIGH TO LEAVE THE COURT.' `
` `
` Everybody looked at Alice. `
` `
` `I'M not a mile high,' said Alice. `
` `
` `You are,' said the King. `
` `
` `Nearly two miles high,' added the Queen. `
` `
` `Well, I shan't go, at any rate,' said Alice: `besides, `
` that's not a regular rule: you invented it just now.' `
` `
` `It's the oldest rule in the book,' said the King. `
` `
` `Then it ought to be Number One,' said Alice. `
` `
` The King turned pale, and shut his note-book hastily. `
` `Consider your verdict,' he said to the jury, in a low, trembling `
` voice. `
` `
` `There's more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty,' said `
` the White Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry; `this paper has `
` just been picked up.' `
` `
` `What's in it?' said the Queen. `
` `
` `I haven't opened it yet,' said the White Rabbit, `but it seems `
` to be a letter, written by the prisoner to--to somebody.' `
` `
` `It must have been that,' said the King, `unless it was `
` written to nobody, which isn't usual, you know.' `
` `
` `Who is it directed to?' said one of the jurymen. `
` `
` `It isn't directed at all,' said the White Rabbit; `in fact, `
` there's nothing written on the OUTSIDE.' He unfolded the paper `
` as he spoke, and added `It isn't a letter, after all: it's a set `
`