{"id":515,"date":"2023-10-29T03:37:15","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T03:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/?p=515"},"modified":"2023-10-29T03:37:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T03:37:32","slug":"alice-in-wonderland-ch-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/2023\/10\/29\/alice-in-wonderland-ch-12\/","title":{"rendered":"Alice in Wonderland\u2014Ch. 12"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alice\u2019s Evidence<\/h1>\n\n\n
\n
\"Alice<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cHere!\u201d cried Alice, quite forgetting in the flurry of the moment how large she had grown in the last few minutes, and she jumped up in such a hurry that she tipped over the jury-box with the edge of her skirt, upsetting all the jurymen on to the heads of the crowd below, and there they lay sprawling about, reminding her very much of a globe of goldfish she had accidentally upset the week before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I beg<\/em> your pardon!\u201d she exclaimed in a tone of great dismay, and began picking them up again as quickly as she could, for the accident of the goldfish kept running in her head, and she had a vague sort of idea that they must be collected at once and put back into the jury-box, or they would die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe trial cannot proceed,\u201d said the King in a very grave voice, \u201cuntil all the jurymen are back in their proper places\u2014all<\/em>,\u201d he repeated with great emphasis, looking hard at Alice as he said so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice looked at the jury-box, and saw that, in her haste, she had put the Lizard in head downwards, and the poor little thing was waving its tail about in a melancholy way, being quite unable to move. She soon got it out again, and put it right; \u201cnot that it signifies much,\u201d she said to herself; \u201cI should think it would be quite<\/em> as much use in the trial one way up as the other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as the jury had a little recovered from the shock of being upset, and their slates and pencils had been found and handed back to them, they set to work very diligently to write out a history of the accident, all except the Lizard, who seemed too much overcome to do anything but sit with its mouth open, gazing up into the roof of the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you know about this business?\u201d the King said to Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing whatever?<\/em>\u201d persisted the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing whatever,\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very important,\u201d the King said, turning to the jury. They were just beginning to write this down on their slates, when the White Rabbit interrupted: \u201cUn<\/em>important, your Majesty means, of course,\u201d he said in a very respectful tone, but frowning and making faces at him as he spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUn<\/em>important, of course, I meant,\u201d the King hastily said, and went on to himself in an undertone,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cimportant\u2014unimportant\u2014unimportant\u2014important\u2014\u201d as if he were trying which word sounded best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the jury wrote it down \u201cimportant,\u201d and some \u201cunimportant.\u201d Alice could see this, as she was near enough to look over their slates; \u201cbut it doesn\u2019t matter a bit,\u201d she thought to herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily writing in his note-book, cackled out \u201cSilence!\u201d and read out from his book, \u201cRule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everybody looked at Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m<\/em> not a mile high,\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are,\u201d said the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNearly two miles high,\u201d added the Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I shan\u2019t go, at any rate,\u201d said Alice: \u201cbesides, that\u2019s not a regular rule: you invented it just now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the oldest rule in the book,\u201d said the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen it ought to be Number One,\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The King turned pale, and shut his note-book hastily. \u201cConsider your verdict,\u201d he said to the jury, in a low, trembling voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty,\u201d said the White Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry; \u201cthis paper has just been picked up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s in it?\u201d said the Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t opened it yet,\u201d said the White Rabbit, \u201cbut it seems to be a letter, written by the prisoner to\u2014to somebody.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt must have been that,\u201d said the King, \u201cunless it was written to nobody, which isn\u2019t usual, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is it directed to?\u201d said one of the jurymen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t directed at all,\u201d said the White Rabbit; \u201cin fact, there\u2019s nothing written on the outside<\/em>.\u201d He unfolded the paper as he spoke, and added \u201cIt isn\u2019t a letter, after all: it\u2019s a set of verses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre they in the prisoner\u2019s handwriting?\u201d asked another of the jurymen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, they\u2019re not,\u201d said the White Rabbit, \u201cand that\u2019s the queerest thing about it.\u201d (The jury all looked puzzled.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe must have imitated somebody else\u2019s hand,\u201d said the King. (The jury all brightened up again.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease your Majesty,\u201d said the Knave, \u201cI didn\u2019t write it, and they can\u2019t prove I did: there\u2019s no name signed at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you didn\u2019t sign it,\u201d said the King, \u201cthat only makes the matter worse. You must<\/em> have meant some mischief, or else you\u2019d have signed your name like an honest man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the first really clever thing the King had said that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat proves<\/em> his guilt,\u201d said the Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt proves nothing of the sort!\u201d said Alice. \u201cWhy, you don\u2019t even know what they\u2019re about!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRead them,\u201d said the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. \u201cWhere shall I begin, please your Majesty?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBegin at the beginning,\u201d the King said gravely, \u201cand go on till you come to the end: then stop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These were the verses the White Rabbit read:\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey 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\u2019t let him know she liked them best,
    For this must ever be
A secret, kept from all the rest,
    Between yourself and me.\u201d<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the most important piece of evidence we\u2019ve heard yet,\u201d said the King, rubbing his hands; \u201cso now let the jury\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf any one of them can explain it,\u201d said Alice, (she had grown so large in the last few minutes that she wasn\u2019t a bit afraid of interrupting him,) \u201cI\u2019ll give him sixpence. I<\/em> don\u2019t believe there\u2019s an atom of meaning in it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The jury all wrote down on their slates, \u201cShe<\/em> doesn\u2019t believe there\u2019s an atom of meaning in it,\u201d but none of them attempted to explain the paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s no meaning in it,\u201d said the King, \u201cthat saves a world of trouble, you know, as we needn\u2019t try to find any. And yet I don\u2019t know,\u201d he went on, spreading out the verses on his knee, and looking at them with one eye; \u201cI seem to see some meaning in them, after all. \u201c\u2014said I could not swim<\/em>\u2014\u201d you can\u2019t swim, can you?\u201d he added, turning to the Knave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Knave shook his head sadly. \u201cDo I look like it?\u201d he said. (Which he certainly did not<\/em>, being made entirely of cardboard.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right, so far,\u201d said the King, and he went on muttering over the verses to himself: \u201c\u2018We know it to be true<\/em>\u2014\u2019 that\u2019s the jury, of course\u2014\u2018I gave her one, they gave him two<\/em>\u2014\u2019 why, that must be what he did with the tarts, you know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut, it goes on \u2018they all returned from him to you<\/em>,\u2019\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
\"The<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\u201cWhy, there they are!\u201d said the King triumphantly, pointing to the tarts on the table. \u201cNothing can be clearer than that<\/em>. Then again\u2014\u2018before she had this fit<\/em>\u2014\u2019 you never had fits, my dear, I think?\u201d he said to the Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNever!\u201d 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.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen the words don\u2019t fit<\/em> you,\u201d said the King, looking round the court with a smile. There was a dead silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pun!\u201d the King added in an offended tone, and everybody laughed, \u201cLet the jury consider their verdict,\u201d the King said, for about the twentieth time that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, no!\u201d said the Queen. \u201cSentence first\u2014verdict afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStuff and nonsense!\u201d said Alice loudly. \u201cThe idea of having the sentence first!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHold your tongue!\u201d said the Queen, turning purple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won\u2019t!\u201d said Alice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOff with her head!\u201d the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho cares for you?\u201d said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) \u201cYou\u2019re nothing but a pack of cards!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
\"Alice<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWake up, Alice dear!\u201d said her sister; \u201cWhy, what a long sleep you\u2019ve had!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, I\u2019ve had such a curious dream!\u201d 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, \u201cIt was<\/em> a curious dream, dear, certainly: but now run in to your tea; it\u2019s getting late.\u201d So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she ran, as well she might, what a wonderful dream it had been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
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:\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2014she 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<\/em> always get into her eyes\u2014and still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place around her became alive with the strange creatures of her little sister\u2019s dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried by\u2014the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the neighbouring pool\u2014she 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\u2014once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the Duchess\u2019s knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it\u2014once more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard\u2019s slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable Mock Turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2014the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds\u2014the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep-bells, and the Queen\u2019s shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy\u2014and 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\u2014while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle\u2019s heavy sobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE END<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Alice\u2019s Evidence<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=515"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":570,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515\/revisions\/570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlywithdrawal.net\/victoriana\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}