lookingglass07-第2部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
his pockets。 ‘I had the best of it this time?' he said to the
King; just glancing at him as he passed。
‘A littlea little;' the King replied; rather nervously。
‘You shouldn't have run him through with your horn; you know。'
‘It didn't hurt him;' the Unicorn said carelessly; and he was
going on; when his eye happened to fall upon Alice: he turned
round rather instantly; and stood for some time looking at her
with an air of the deepest disgust。
‘Whatisthis?' he said at last。
‘This is a child!' Haigha replied eagerly; coming in front of
Alice to introduce her; and spreading out both his hands towards
her in an Anglo…Saxon attitude。 ‘We only found it to…day。 It's
as large as life; and twice as natural!'
‘I always thought they were fabulous monsters!' said the
Unicorn。 ‘Is it alive?'
‘It can talk;' said Haigha; solemnly。
The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice; and said ‘Talk; child。'
Alice could not help her lips curling up into a smile as she began:
‘Do you know; I always thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters; too!
I never saw one alive before!'
‘Well; now that we HAVE seen each other;' said the Unicorn;
‘if you'll believe in me; I'll believe in you。 Is that a bargain?'
‘Yes; if you like;' said Alice。
‘Come; fetch out the plum…cake; old man!' the Unicorn went on;
turning from her to the King。 ‘None of your brown bread for me!'
‘Certainlycertainly!' the King muttered; and beckoned to
Haigha。 ‘Open the bag!' he whispered。 ‘Quick! Not that one
that's full of hay!'
Haigha took a large cake out of the bag; and gave it to Alice
to hold; while he got out a dish and carving…knife。 How they all
came out of it Alice couldn't guess。 It was just like a
conjuring…trick; she thought。
The Lion had joined them while this was going on: he looked
very tired and sleepy; and his eyes were half shut。 ‘What's
this!' he said; blinking lazily at Alice; and speaking in a deep
hollow tone that sounded like the tolling of a great bell。
‘Ah; what IS it; now?' the Unicorn cried eagerly。 ‘You'll
never guess! _I_ couldn't。'
The Lion looked at Alice wearily。 ‘Are you animalvegetable
or mineral?' he said; yawning at every other word。
‘It's a fabulous monster!' the Unicorn cried out; before Alice
could reply。
‘Then hand round the plum…cake; Monster;' the Lion said; lying
down and putting his chin on this paws。 ‘And sit down; both of
you;' (to the King and the Unicorn): ‘fair play with the cake;
you know!'
The King was evidently very uncomfortable at having to sit down
between the two great creatures; but there was no other place for him。
‘What a fight we might have for the crown; NOW!' the Unicorn
said; looking slyly up at the crown; which the poor King was
nearly shaking off his head; he trembled so much。
‘I should win easy;' said the Lion。
‘I'm not so sure of that;' said the Unicorn。
‘Why; I beat you all round the town; you chicken!' the Lion
replied angrily; half getting up as he spoke。
Here the King interrupted; to prevent the quarrel going on: he
was very nervous; and his voice quite quivered。 ‘All round the
town?' he said。 ‘That's a good long way。 Did you go by the old
bridge; or the market…place? You get the best view by the old
bridge。'
‘I'm sure I don't know;' the Lion growled out as he lay down
again。 ‘There was too much dust to see anything。 What a time
the Monster is; cutting up that cake!'
Alice had seated herself on the bank of a little brook; with
the great dish on her knees; and was sawing away diligently with
the knife。 ‘It's very provoking!' she said; in reply to the Lion
(she was getting quite used to being called ‘the Monster')。
‘I've cut several slices already; but they always join on again!'
‘You don't know how to manage Looking…glass cakes;' the Unicorn
remarked。 ‘Hand it round first; and cut it afterwards。'
This sounded nonsense; but Alice very obediently got up; and
carried the dish round; and the cake divided itself into three
pieces as she did so。 ‘NOW cut it up;' said the Lion; as she
returned to her place with the empty dish。
‘I say; this isn't fair!' cried the Unicorn; as Alice sat with
the knife in her hand; very much puzzled how to begin。 ‘The
Monster has given the Lion twice as much as me!'
‘She's kept none for herself; anyhow;' said the Lion。 ‘Do you
like plum…cake; Monster?'
But before Alice could answer him; the drums began。
Where the noise came from; she couldn't make out: the air
seemed full of it; and it rang through and through her head till
she felt quite deafened。 She started to her feet and sprang
across the little brook in her terror;
* * * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * * *
and had just time to see the Lion and the Unicorn rise to their
feet; with angry looks at being interrupted in their feast;
before she dropped to her knees; and put her hands over her ears;
vainly trying to shut out the dreadful uproar。
‘If THAT doesn't 〃drum them out of town;〃' she thought to
herself; 'nothing ever will!'