Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
Clickable text below...
Prev Next
Page #
as he spoke, and added `It isn't a letter, after all: it's a set `
` of verses.' `
` `
` `Are they in the prisoner's handwriting?' asked another of `
` the jurymen. `
` `
` `No, they're not,' said the White Rabbit, `and that's the `
` queerest thing about it.' (The jury all looked puzzled.) `
` `
` `He must have imitated somebody else's hand,' said the King. `
` (The jury all brightened up again.) `
` `
` `Please your Majesty,' said the Knave, `I didn't write it, and `
` they can't prove I did: there's no name signed at the end.' `
` `
` `If you didn't sign it,' said the King, `that only makes the `
` matter worse. You MUST have meant some mischief, or else you'd `
` have signed your name like an honest man.' `
` `
` There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the `
` first really clever thing the King had said that day. `
` `
` `That PROVES his guilt,' said the Queen. `
` `
` `It proves nothing of the sort!' said Alice. `Why, you don't `
` even know what they're about!' `
` `
` `Read them,' said the King. `
` `
` The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. `Where shall I begin, `
` please your Majesty?' he asked. `
` `
` `Begin at the beginning,' the King said gravely, `and go on `
` till you come to the end: then stop.' `
` `
` These were the verses the White Rabbit read:-- `
` `
` `They told me you had been to her, `
` And mentioned me to him: `
` She gave me a good character, `
` But said I could not swim. `
` `
` He sent them word I had not gone `
` (We know it to be true): `
` If she should push the matter on, `
` What would become of you? `
` `
` I gave her one, they gave him two, `
` You gave us three or more; `
` They all returned from him to you, `
` Though they were mine before. `
` `
` If I or she should chance to be `
` Involved in this affair, `
` He trusts to you to set them free, `
` Exactly as we were. `
` `
` My notion was that you had been `
` (Before she had this fit) `
` An obstacle that came between `
` Him, and ourselves, and it. `
` `
` Don't let him know she liked them best, `
` For this must ever be `
` A secret, kept from all the rest, `
` Between yourself and me.' `
` `
` `That's the most important piece of evidence we've heard yet,' `
` said the King, rubbing his hands; `so now let the jury--' `
` `
` `If any one of them can explain it,' said Alice, (she had `
` grown so large in the last few minutes that she wasn't a bit `
` afraid of interrupting him,) `I'll give him sixpence. _I_ don't `
` believe there's an atom of meaning in it.' `
` `
` The jury all wrote down on their slates, `SHE doesn't believe `
` there's an atom of meaning in it,' but none of them attempted to `
` explain the paper. `
` `
` `If there's no meaning in it,' said the King, `that saves a `
` world of trouble, you know, as we needn't try to find any. And `
` yet I don't know,' he went on, spreading out the verses on his `
` knee, and looking at them with one eye; `I seem to see some `
` meaning in them, after all. "--SAID I COULD NOT SWIM--" you `
` can't swim, can you?' he added, turning to the Knave. `
` `
` The Knave shook his head sadly. `Do I look like it?' he said. `
` (Which he certainly did NOT, being made entirely of cardboard.) `
` `
` `All right, so far,' said the King, and he went on muttering `
` over the verses to himself: `"WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE--" that's `
` the jury, of course-- "I GAVE HER ONE, THEY GAVE HIM TWO--" why, `
` that must be what he did with the tarts, you know--' `
` `
` `But, it goes on "THEY ALL RETURNED FROM HIM TO YOU,"' said `
` Alice. `
` `
` `Why, there they are!' said the King triumphantly, pointing to `
` the tarts on the table. `Nothing can be clearer than THAT. `
` Then again--"BEFORE SHE HAD THIS FIT--" you never had fits, my `
` dear, I think?' he said to the Queen. `
` `
` `Never!' said the Queen furiously, throwing an inkstand at the `
` Lizard as she spoke. (The unfortunate little Bill had left off `
` writing on his slate with one finger, as he found it made no `
` mark; but he now hastily began again, using the ink, that was `
` trickling down his face, as long as it lasted.) `
` `
` `Then the words don't FIT you,' said the King, looking round `
` the court with a smile. There was a dead silence. `
` `
` `It's a pun!' the King added in an offended tone, and `
` everybody laughed, `Let the jury consider their verdict,' the `
` King said, for about the twentieth time that day. `
` `
` `No, no!' said the Queen. `Sentence first--verdict afterwards.' `
` `
` `Stuff and nonsense!' said Alice loudly. `The idea of having `
` the sentence first!' `
` `
` `Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple. `
` `
` `I won't!' said Alice. `
` `
` `Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. `
` Nobody moved. `
` `
` `Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full `
` size by this time.) `You're nothing but a pack of cards!' `
` `
` At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying `
` down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half `
` of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on `
` the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently `
` brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the `
` trees upon her face. `
` `
` `Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; `Why, what a long `
` sleep you've had!' `
` `
` `Oh, I've had such a curious dream!' said Alice, and she told `
` her sister, as well as she could remember them, all these strange `
` Adventures of hers that you have just been reading about; and `
` when she had finished, her sister kissed her, and said, `It WAS a `
` curious dream, dear, certainly: but now run in to your tea; it's `
` getting late.' So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she `
` ran, as well she might, what a wonderful dream it had been. `
` `
` But her sister sat still just as she left her, leaning her `
` head on her hand, watching the setting sun, and thinking of `
` little Alice and all her wonderful Adventures, till she too began `
` dreaming after a fashion, and this was her dream:-- `
` `
` First, she dreamed of little Alice herself, and once again the `
` tiny hands were clasped upon her knee, and the bright eager eyes `
` were looking up into hers--she could hear the very tones of her `
` voice, and see that queer little toss of her head to keep back `
` the wandering hair that WOULD always get into her eyes--and `
` still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place `
` around her became alive the strange creatures of her little `
` sister's dream. `
` `
` The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried `
` by--the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the `
` neighbouring pool--she could hear the rattle of the teacups as `
` the March Hare and his friends shared their never-ending meal, `
` and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate `
` guests to execution--once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the `
` Duchess's knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it--once `
` more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard's `
` slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, `
` filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable `
` Mock Turtle. `
` `
` So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in `
` Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and `
` all would change to dull reality--the grass would be only `
` rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the `
` reeds--the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep- `
` bells, and the Queen's shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd `
` boy--and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and `
` all the other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the `
` confused clamour of the busy farm-yard--while the lowing of the `
` cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle's `
` heavy sobs. `
` `
` Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of `
` hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how `
` she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and `
` loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about `
` her other little children, and make THEIR eyes bright and eager `
` with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of `
` Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their `
` simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, `
` remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days. `
` `
` THE END `
` `
` `
`
` of verses.' `
` `
` `Are they in the prisoner's handwriting?' asked another of `
` the jurymen. `
` `
` `No, they're not,' said the White Rabbit, `and that's the `
` queerest thing about it.' (The jury all looked puzzled.) `
` `
` `He must have imitated somebody else's hand,' said the King. `
` (The jury all brightened up again.) `
` `
` `Please your Majesty,' said the Knave, `I didn't write it, and `
` they can't prove I did: there's no name signed at the end.' `
` `
` `If you didn't sign it,' said the King, `that only makes the `
` matter worse. You MUST have meant some mischief, or else you'd `
` have signed your name like an honest man.' `
` `
` There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the `
` first really clever thing the King had said that day. `
` `
` `That PROVES his guilt,' said the Queen. `
` `
` `It proves nothing of the sort!' said Alice. `Why, you don't `
` even know what they're about!' `
` `
` `Read them,' said the King. `
` `
` The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. `Where shall I begin, `
` please your Majesty?' he asked. `
` `
` `Begin at the beginning,' the King said gravely, `and go on `
` till you come to the end: then stop.' `
` `
` These were the verses the White Rabbit read:-- `
` `
` `They told me you had been to her, `
` And mentioned me to him: `
` She gave me a good character, `
` But said I could not swim. `
` `
` He sent them word I had not gone `
` (We know it to be true): `
` If she should push the matter on, `
` What would become of you? `
` `
` I gave her one, they gave him two, `
` You gave us three or more; `
` They all returned from him to you, `
` Though they were mine before. `
` `
` If I or she should chance to be `
` Involved in this affair, `
` He trusts to you to set them free, `
` Exactly as we were. `
` `
` My notion was that you had been `
` (Before she had this fit) `
` An obstacle that came between `
` Him, and ourselves, and it. `
` `
` Don't let him know she liked them best, `
` For this must ever be `
` A secret, kept from all the rest, `
` Between yourself and me.' `
` `
` `That's the most important piece of evidence we've heard yet,' `
` said the King, rubbing his hands; `so now let the jury--' `
` `
` `If any one of them can explain it,' said Alice, (she had `
` grown so large in the last few minutes that she wasn't a bit `
` afraid of interrupting him,) `I'll give him sixpence. _I_ don't `
` believe there's an atom of meaning in it.' `
` `
` The jury all wrote down on their slates, `SHE doesn't believe `
` there's an atom of meaning in it,' but none of them attempted to `
` explain the paper. `
` `
` `If there's no meaning in it,' said the King, `that saves a `
` world of trouble, you know, as we needn't try to find any. And `
` yet I don't know,' he went on, spreading out the verses on his `
` knee, and looking at them with one eye; `I seem to see some `
` meaning in them, after all. "--SAID I COULD NOT SWIM--" you `
` can't swim, can you?' he added, turning to the Knave. `
` `
` The Knave shook his head sadly. `Do I look like it?' he said. `
` (Which he certainly did NOT, being made entirely of cardboard.) `
` `
` `All right, so far,' said the King, and he went on muttering `
` over the verses to himself: `"WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE--" that's `
` the jury, of course-- "I GAVE HER ONE, THEY GAVE HIM TWO--" why, `
` that must be what he did with the tarts, you know--' `
` `
` `But, it goes on "THEY ALL RETURNED FROM HIM TO YOU,"' said `
` Alice. `
` `
` `Why, there they are!' said the King triumphantly, pointing to `
` the tarts on the table. `Nothing can be clearer than THAT. `
` Then again--"BEFORE SHE HAD THIS FIT--" you never had fits, my `
` dear, I think?' he said to the Queen. `
` `
` `Never!' said the Queen furiously, throwing an inkstand at the `
` Lizard as she spoke. (The unfortunate little Bill had left off `
` writing on his slate with one finger, as he found it made no `
` mark; but he now hastily began again, using the ink, that was `
` trickling down his face, as long as it lasted.) `
` `
` `Then the words don't FIT you,' said the King, looking round `
` the court with a smile. There was a dead silence. `
` `
` `It's a pun!' the King added in an offended tone, and `
` everybody laughed, `Let the jury consider their verdict,' the `
` King said, for about the twentieth time that day. `
` `
` `No, no!' said the Queen. `Sentence first--verdict afterwards.' `
` `
` `Stuff and nonsense!' said Alice loudly. `The idea of having `
` the sentence first!' `
` `
` `Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple. `
` `
` `I won't!' said Alice. `
` `
` `Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. `
` Nobody moved. `
` `
` `Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full `
` size by this time.) `You're nothing but a pack of cards!' `
` `
` At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying `
` down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half `
` of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on `
` the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently `
` brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the `
` trees upon her face. `
` `
` `Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; `Why, what a long `
` sleep you've had!' `
` `
` `Oh, I've had such a curious dream!' said Alice, and she told `
` her sister, as well as she could remember them, all these strange `
` Adventures of hers that you have just been reading about; and `
` when she had finished, her sister kissed her, and said, `It WAS a `
` curious dream, dear, certainly: but now run in to your tea; it's `
` getting late.' So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she `
` ran, as well she might, what a wonderful dream it had been. `
` `
` But her sister sat still just as she left her, leaning her `
` head on her hand, watching the setting sun, and thinking of `
` little Alice and all her wonderful Adventures, till she too began `
` dreaming after a fashion, and this was her dream:-- `
` `
` First, she dreamed of little Alice herself, and once again the `
` tiny hands were clasped upon her knee, and the bright eager eyes `
` were looking up into hers--she could hear the very tones of her `
` voice, and see that queer little toss of her head to keep back `
` the wandering hair that WOULD always get into her eyes--and `
` still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place `
` around her became alive the strange creatures of her little `
` sister's dream. `
` `
` The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried `
` by--the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the `
` neighbouring pool--she could hear the rattle of the teacups as `
` the March Hare and his friends shared their never-ending meal, `
` and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate `
` guests to execution--once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the `
` Duchess's knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it--once `
` more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard's `
` slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, `
` filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable `
` Mock Turtle. `
` `
` So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in `
` Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and `
` all would change to dull reality--the grass would be only `
` rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the `
` reeds--the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep- `
` bells, and the Queen's shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd `
` boy--and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and `
` all the other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the `
` confused clamour of the busy farm-yard--while the lowing of the `
` cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle's `
` heavy sobs. `
` `
` Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of `
` hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how `
` she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and `
` loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about `
` her other little children, and make THEIR eyes bright and eager `
` with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of `
` Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their `
` simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, `
` remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days. `
` `
` THE END `
` `
` `
`