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The Mock Turtle’s Story
‘Justaboutasmuchright,’saidtheDuchess,‘aspigshavetofly; andthem’
Buthere,toAlice’sgreatsurprise,theDuchess’svoicediedaway,eveninthemiddleofherfavouriteword‘moral,’andthearmthatwaslinkedintohersbegantotremble. Alicelookedup,andtherestoodtheQueeninfrontofthem,withherarmsfolded,frowninglikeathunderstorm.
‘Afineday,yourMajesty! ’theDuchessbeganinalow,weakvoice.
‘Now,Igiveyoufairwarning,’shoutedtheQueen,stampingonthegroundasshespoke; ‘eitheryouoryourheadmustbeoff,andthatinabouthalfnotime! Takeyourchoice!’
TheDuchesstookherchoice,andwasgoneinamoment.
‘Let’sgoonwiththegame,’theQueensaidtoAlice; andAlicewastoomuchfrightenedtosayaword,butslowlyfollowedherbacktothecroquet-ground.
TheotherguestshadtakenadvantageoftheQueen’sabsence,andwererestingintheshade: however,themomenttheysawher,theyhurriedbacktothegame,theQueenmerelyremarkingthatamoment’sdelaywouldcostthemtheirlives.
AllthetimetheywereplayingtheQueenneverleftoffquarrellingwiththeotherplayers,andshouting‘Offwithhishead! ’or‘Offwithherhead! ’Thosewhomshesentencedweretakenintocustodybythesoldiers,whoofcoursehadtoleaveoffbeingarchestodothis,sothatbytheendofhalfanhourorsotherewerenoarchesleft,andalltheplayers,excepttheKing,theQueen,andAlice,wereincustodyandundersentenceofexecution.
ThentheQueenleftoff,quiteoutofbreath,andsaidtoAlice, ‘HaveyouseentheMockTurtleyet?’
