Алиса в стране чудес
Who Stole the Tarts?
‘They’reputtingdowntheirnames,’theGryphonwhisperedinreply,‘forfeartheyshouldforgetthembeforetheendofthetrial.’
‘Stupidthings! ’Alicebeganinaloud,indignantvoice,butshestoppedhastily,fortheWhiteRabbitcriedout, ‘Silenceinthecourt! ’andtheKingputonhisspectaclesandlookedanxiouslyround,tomakeoutwhowastalking.
Alicecouldsee,aswellasifshewerelookingovertheirshoulders,thatallthejurorswerewritingdown‘stupidthings! ’ontheirslates,andshecouldevenmakeoutthatoneofthemdidn’tknowhowtospell‘stupid,’andthathehadtoaskhisneighbourtotellhim. ‘Anicemuddletheirslates’llbeinbeforethetrial’sover!’thoughtAlice.
Oneofthejurorshadapencilthatsqueaked. Thisofcourse,Alicecouldnotstand,andshewentroundthecourtandgotbehindhim,andverysoonfoundanopportunityoftakingitaway. Shediditsoquicklythatthepoorlittlejuror(itwasBill,theLizard)couldnotmakeoutatallwhathadbecomeofit; so,afterhuntingallaboutforit,hewasobligedtowritewithonefingerfortherestoftheday; andthiswasofverylittleuse,asitleftnomarkontheslate.
‘Herald,readtheaccusation! ’saidtheKing.
OnthistheWhiteRabbitblewthreeblastsonthetrumpet,andthenunrolledtheparchmentscroll,andreadasfollows:
‘TheQueenofHearts,shemadesometarts,
Allonasummerday:
TheKnaveofHearts,hestolethosetarts,
Andtookthemquiteaway!’
