“Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail,
    “There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail. 
    See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance! 
    They are waiting on the shingle—­will you come and join the dance? 
    Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance? 
    Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, won’t you join the dance?”

“Now, come, let’s hear some of your adventures,” said the Gryphon to Alice, after the dance.

“I could tell you my adventures, beginning from this morning,” said Alice, a little timidly, “but it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”

“Explain all that,” said the Mock Turtle.

“No, no; the adventure first!” said the Gryphon impatiently.  “Explanations take such a dreadful time.”

So Alice began telling them her adventures from the time when she first saw the White Rabbit.  After a while a cry of “The Trial’s beginning!” was heard in the distance.

“Come on!” cried the Gryphon.  And, taking Alice by the hand, it hurried off.

“What trial is it?” Alice panted, as she ran, but the Gryphon only answered, “Come on!” and ran the faster.

VI.—­The Trial of the Knave of Hearts

The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived, with a great crowd assembled about them—­all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards.  The Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him; and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the other.  In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large dish of tarts upon it.  They looked so good that it made Alice quite hungry to look at them.  “I wish they’d get the trial done,” she thought, “and hand round the refreshments.”  But there seemed to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about her to pass away the time.

“Silence in the court!” cried the Rabbit.

“Herald, read the accusation!” said the King.

On this the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and then unrolled the parchment scroll, and read as follows.

    The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts,
      All on a summer’s day;
    The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts,
      And took them quite away.

“Consider your verdict,” the King said to the jury.

“Not yet, not yet!” the Rabbit hastily interrupted.  “There’s a great deal to come before that!”

“Call the first witness,” said the King and the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and called out, “First witness!”

The first witness was the Hatter.  He came in with a teacup in one hand and a piece of bread-and-butter in the other.  “I beg pardon, your Majesty,” he began, “for bringing these in; but I hadn’t quite finished my tea when I was sent for.”