Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 5: Wool and Water (continued)

`The brush has got entangled in it!' the Queen said with a sigh. `And I lost the comb yesterday.'

Alice carefully released the brush, and did her best to get the hair into order. `Come, you look rather better now!' she said, after altering most of the pins. `But really you should have a lady's maid!'

`I'm sure I'll take you with pleasure!' the Queen said. `Twopence a week, and jam every other day.'

Alice couldn't help laughing, as she said, `I don't want you to hire ME--and I don't care for jam.'

`It's very good jam,' said the Queen.

`Well, I don't want any TO-DAY, at any rate.'

`You couldn't have it if you DID want it,' the Queen said. `The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday--but never jam to-day.'

`It MUST come sometimes to "jam to-day,"' Alice objected.

`No, it can't,' said the Queen. `It's jam every OTHER day: to-day isn't any OTHER day, you know.'

`I don't understand you,' said Alice. `It's dreadfully confusing!'

`That's the effect of living backwards,' the Queen said kindly: `it always makes one a little giddy at first--'

`Living backwards!' Alice repeated in great astonishment. `I never heard of such a thing!'

`--but there's one great advantage in it, that one's memory works both ways.'

`I'm sure MINE only works one way.' Alice remarked. `I can't remember things before they happen.'

`It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' the Queen remarked.