' understand that better,' Alice said very politely, 'if I had it written down: but 't quite follow it say it '

'That's nothing to what I if I chose,' the Duchess replied, in pleased tone

'Pray don't trouble yourself it any longer than that,' said Alice

'Oh, don't talk about trouble ! ' said the Duchess 'I make you present of everything I've said '

'A cheap sort of present ! ' thought Alice 'I'm glad they don't give birthday presents like that ! ' But she venture it out loud

'Thinking again ? ' the Duchess asked, with another dig of her sharp little chin

'I've right ,' said Alice sharply, for she was beginning little worried

'Just about right,' said the Duchess, 'as pigs have to fly; m--'

But here, to Alice's great surprise, the Duchess's voice died away, even middle of her favourite word 'moral,' arm that was linked into hers began to tremble Alice looked up, and there stood the Queen in front , with her arms folded, frowning like thunderstorm

'A fine day, your Majesty ! ' the Duchess began in low, weak voice

'Now, I fair warning,' shouted the Queen, stamping ground as she spoke; 'either you or your head off, in about half no time ! Take your choice ! '

The Duchess took her choice, and was gone in moment

'Let's go on game,' the Queen said to Alice; and Alice was frightened word, but slowly followed her back croquet-ground

The other guests had taken advantage Queen's absence, and were resting shade: however, the moment they saw her, they hurried back game, the Queen merely remarking that moment's delay would cost them their lives

All the time they were playing the Queen never left off quarrelling other players, and shouting 'Off head ! ' or 'Off with her head ! ' Those whom she sentenced were taken into custody soldiers, who had to leave off being arches to , end of half an hour or so there were no arches left, and all the players, except the King, the Queen, and Alice, were in custody and under sentence of execution

Then the Queen left off, quite out of breath, and said to Alice, ' seen the Mock Turtle yet ? '

'No,' said Alice 'I don't even know what Mock Turtle is '

'It's the thing Mock Turtle Soup is made from,' said the Queen

'I never saw one, or heard of one,' said Alice

'Come on, then,' said the Queen, 'and he shall tell you his history,'

walked off together, Alice heard the King say in low voice, company generally, ' all pardoned ' 'Come, that's good thing ! ' she said to herself, for she had felt quite unhappy number of executions the Queen had ordered

They came upon Gryphon, lying fast asleep sun ( don't know what Gryphon is, look picture ) 'Up, lazy thing ! ' said the Queen, 'and take this young lady the Mock Turtle, and to hear his history go back after some executions ordered'; and she walked off, leaving Alice alone Gryphon Alice quite like the look creature, but whole she thought it quite as safe to stay with it go savage Queen: so she waited

The Gryphon sat up and rubbed its eyes: then it watched the Queen till she was out of sight: then it chuckled 'What fun ! ' said the Gryphon, half to itself, half to Alice

' the fun ? ' said Alice

'Why, she,' said the Gryphon 'It's all her fancy, that: they never executes nobody, Come on ! '

'Everybody says "come on ! " here,' thought Alice, as she went slowly after it: 'I never was so ordered about in all my life, never ! '

They gone far saw the Mock Turtle distance, sitting sad and lonely on little ledge of rock, and, came nearer, Alice could hear him sighing his heart would break She pitied him deeply ' his sorrow ? ' she asked the Gryphon, Gryphon answered, very nearly same words as before, 'It's all his fancy, that: he hasn't got no sorrow, Come on ! '

So they went Mock Turtle, who looked at them with large eyes full of tears, but said nothing

'This here young lady,' said the Gryphon, 'she wants for your history, she do '

'I'll tell it her,' said the Mock Turtle in deep, hollow tone: 'sit down, both of you, and don't speak word till I've finished '

So they sat down, and nobody spoke for some minutes Alice thought to herself, 'I don't see how even finish, if he doesn't begin ' But she waited patiently

'Once,' said the Mock Turtle at last, with deep sigh, ' real Turtle '

These words were followed by very long silence, broken only by an occasional exclamation of 'Hjckrrh ! ' Gryphon, constant heavy sobbing Mock Turtle Alice was very nearly getting up and saying, ' , sir, for your interesting story,' but help thinking more , so she sat still and said nothing

'When we were little,' the Mock Turtle went on at last, more calmly, though still sobbing little , 'we went to school sea The master was an old Turtle--we used him Tortoise--'

'Why did you call him Tortoise, if he wasn't one ? ' Alice asked

'We called him Tortoise because he taught us,' said the Mock Turtle angrily: 'really very dull ! '

'You ashamed of yourself for asking such simple question,' added the Gryphon; and then they both sat silent and looked at poor Alice, who felt ready to sink earth At last the Gryphon said Mock Turtle, 'Drive on, old fellow ! Don't be all day ! ' and he went on words:

'Yes, we went to school sea, though you mayn't believe it--'

'I never said I didn't ! ' interrupted Alice

' ,' said the Mock Turtle

'Hold your tongue ! ' added the Gryphon, before Alice could speak again The Mock Turtle went on

'We had the best of educations-- , we went to school every day--'

'I've been to day-school, too,' said Alice; 'you needn't be so proud as all that '

'With extras ? ' asked the Mock Turtle little anxiously

'Yes,' said Alice, 'we learned French and music '

'And washing ? ' said the Mock Turtle

'Certainly not ! ' said Alice indignantly

'Ah ! then yours wasn't really good school,' said the Mock Turtle in tone of great relief 'Now at ours they had end bill, "French, music, and washing--extra "'

'You couldn't have wanted it much,' said Alice; 'living bottom sea '

'I couldn't afford to learn it ' said the Mock Turtle with sigh 'I only took the regular course '

'What ? ' inquired Alice

'Reeling and Writhing, , with,' the Mock Turtle replied; 'and then the different branches of Arithmetic-- Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision '

'I never heard of "Uglification,"' Alice ventured ' it ? '

The Gryphon lifted up both its paws in surprise 'What ! Never heard of uglifying ! ' it exclaimed ' what to beautify is, I suppose ? '

'Yes,' said Alice doubtfully: 'it means--to--make--anything--prettier '

'Well, then,' the Gryphon went on, ' don't know what to uglify is, simpleton '

Alice feel encouraged to ask any more questions , so she turned Mock Turtle, and said 'What else had you to learn ? '

'Well, Mystery,' the Mock Turtle replied, counting off the subjects flappers, '--Mystery, ancient and modern, with Seaography: then Drawling--the Drawling-master was an old conger-eel, that used once week: He taught us Drawling, Stretching, and Fainting in Coils '

'What like ? ' said Alice

'Well, 't show it you myself,' the Mock Turtle said: 'I'm too stiff Gryphon never learnt it '

'Hadn't time,' said the Gryphon: 'I went Classics master, though an old crab, '

'I never went to him,' the Mock Turtle said with sigh: 'he taught Laughing and Grief, they used '

'So , so ,' said the Gryphon, sighing turn; and both creatures hid their faces in their paws

'And hours day did lessons ? ' said Alice, in hurry the subject

'Ten hours the first day,' said the Mock Turtle: 'nine the next, and so on '

'What curious plan ! ' exclaimed Alice

'That's the reason they're called lessons,' the Gryphon remarked: 'because they lessen from day to day '

quite new idea to Alice, and she thought it over little before she made her next remark 'Then the eleventh day must holiday ? '

' ,' said the Mock Turtle

'And how did you manage twelfth ? ' Alice went on eagerly

'That's enough about lessons,' the Gryphon interrupted in very decided tone: 'tell her something games now '

Chapter X: The Lobster Quadrille

The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes He looked at Alice, and tried , but for minute or two sobs choked his voice 'Same he had bone throat,' said the Gryphon: and it set to work shaking him and punching him back At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:--

' not have lived much under the sea--' ('I haven't,' said Alice)-- 'and perhaps you were never even introduced to lobster--' (Alice began 'I once tasted--' but checked herself hastily, and said 'No, never') '--so no idea what delightful thing Lobster Quadrille is ! '

'No, indeed,' said Alice 'What sort of dance ? '

'Why,' said the Gryphon, 'you first form into line along the sea-shore--'

'Two lines ! ' cried the Mock Turtle 'Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on; then, 've cleared all the jelly-fish way--'

'That generally takes ,' interrupted the Gryphon

'--you advance twice--'

'Each with lobster as partner ! ' cried the Gryphon

' ,' the Mock Turtle said: 'advance twice, set to partners--'

'--change lobsters, and retire in same order,' continued the Gryphon

'Then, ,' the Mock Turtle went on, 'you throw the--'

'The lobsters ! ' shouted the Gryphon, with bound air

'--as far out to sea --'

'Swim after them ! ' screamed the Gryphon

'Turn somersault sea ! ' cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about

'Change lobster's again ! ' yelled the Gryphon top voice

'Back to land again, 's all the first figure,' said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; two creatures, who jumping about like mad things all , sat down again very sadly and quietly, and looked at Alice

'It very pretty dance,' said Alice timidly