Алиса в зазеркалье
Humpty Dumpty
‘Somepeople,’saidHumptyDumpty,lookingawayfromherasusual,‘havenomoresensethanababy!’
Alicedidn’tknowwhattosaytothis:itwasn’tatalllikeconversation,shethought,asheneversaidanythingtoher;infact,hislastremarkwasevidentlyaddressedtoatree—soshestoodandsoftlyrepeatedtoherself:—
‘HumptyDumptysatonawall:
HumptyDumptyhadagreatfall.
AlltheKing’shorsesandalltheKing’smen
Couldn’tputHumptyDumptyinhisplaceagain.’
‘Thatlastlineismuchtoolongforthepoetry,’sheadded,almostoutloud,forgettingthatHumptyDumptywouldhearher.
‘Don’tstandtherechatteringtoyourselflikethat,’HumptyDumptysaid,lookingatherforthefirsttime,‘buttellmeyournameandyourbusiness.’
‘MynameisAlice,but—’
‘It’sastupidenoughname!’HumptyDumptyinterruptedimpatiently.‘Whatdoesitmean?’
‘mustanamemeansomething?’Aliceaskeddoubtfully.
‘Ofcourseitmust,’HumptyDumptysaidwithashortlaugh:‘mynamemeanstheshapeIam—andagoodhandsomeshapeitis,too.Withanamelikeyours,youmightbeanyshape,almost.’
‘Whydoyousitouthereallalone?’saidAlice,notwishingtobeginanargument.
‘Why,becausethere’snobodywithme!’criedHumptyDumpty.‘DidyouthinkIdidn’tknowtheanswertothat?Askanother.’
‘Don’tyouthinkyou’dbesaferdownontheground?’Alicewenton,notwithanyideaofmakinganotherriddle,butsimplyinhergood-naturedanxietyforthequeercreature.
