Red Queen's Entrance

(Alice): I can't

Nearly there! Why, we passed it ten minutes ago. Now. Now. Faster. Faster. You may rest a little now.

(White Queen): Hush--if she wakes and catches us--

Alice, come through into the looking-glass house!

(Alice): No, indeed

And yet I don't know, only think how convenient it would be if you could manage to go home without it! For instance, if the governess wanted to call you to your lessons, she would call out "come here," and there she would have to leave off, because there wouldn't be any name for her to call, and of course you wouldn't have to go, you know.

(Alice): Well, in our country you'd generally get to somewhere else--if you ran very fast for a long time as we've been doing.

A slow sort of country. Now here you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that.

(White Queen): Hist, Alice!

Alice!

(Alice): I only wanted to see what the looking glass was like. Perhaps I've lost my way.

I don't know what you mean by your way; all the ways about here belong to me. Curtsy while you're thinking what to say. It saves time.

I'd rather not try, please! I'm quite content to stay here—only I am so hot and thirsty.

I know what you'd like. Have a biscuit? (While you're refreshing yourself, I'll just take the measurements.At the end of two yards I shall give you your directions—have another biscuit?)

(White Queen): Do you think she'll come?

I'll call softly, Alice!

(Alice): I'll try it when I go home; the next time I'm a little late for dinner.

It's time for you to answer now; open your mouth a little wider when you speak, and always say, "Your Majesty." I suppose you don't want to lose your name?

(Alice): ...It seems very pretty, but it's rather hard to understand; somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don't exactly know what they are.Somebody killed something. That is clear at any rate.

Of course ,you do not understand. I daresay you don't know your geography either. Look at the map!

(Alice): Why, you're the Red Queen!

Of course, I am! Where do you come from? And where are you going? Look up, speak nicely, and don't twiddle your fingers!

(Alice): Why, I do believe we're in the same place. Everything's just as it was

Of course, it is, what would you have it?

(Alice):It's marked out just like a big chessboard. I wouldn't mind being a pawn, if only I might join, though of course I should like to be a Queen best.

That's easily managed. You can be the White Queens Pawn. You're in the second square to begin. When you get to the eighth square you'll be a Queen. It's a huge game of chess that's being played--all over the world. Come on, we've got to run. Faster, don't try to talk.

(Lewis Carroll): What a funny little rabbit it is, nibbling all the time!

There she is, let's call her over.

(Alice): No thank you, one's quite enough.

Thirst quenched, I hope? At the end of three yards I shall repeat them—for fear of your forgetting them. At the end of four, I shall say good-bye. And at the end of five, I shall go! A pawn goes two squares in it's first move, you know. So you'll go very quickly through the Third Square. This Square belongs to Humpty Dumpty and that Square to the Gryphon and Mock Turtle and that Square to the Queen of Hearts. But you make no remark?

(Alice): That would never do, I'm sure; the governess would never think of excusing me from lessons for that. If she couldn't remember my name, she'd call me "Miss," as the servants do.

Well, if she said "Miss," and didn't say anything more, of course you'd miss your lessons. I dare say you can't even read this book.

(Alice): I—I didn't know I had to make one—just then.

You should have said, "It's extremely kind of you to tell me all this," however, we'll suppose it said. Four! Good-bye! Five!