Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 9: Queen Alice (continued)

Alice sighed and gave it up. `It's exactly like a riddle with no answer!' she thought.

`Humpty Dumpty saw it too,' the White Queen went on in a low voice, more as if she were talking to herself. `He came to the door with a corkscrew in his hand--'

`What did he want?' said the Red Queen.

`He said he WOULD come in,' the White Queen went on, `because he was looking for a hippopotamus. Now, as it happened, there wasn't such a thing in the house, that morning.'

`Is there generally?' Alice asked in an astonished tone.

`Well, only on Thursdays,' said the Queen.

`I know what he came for,' said Alice: `he wanted to punish the fish, because--'

Here the White Queen began again. `It was SUCH a thunderstorm, you can't think!' (She NEVER could, you know,' said the Red Queen.) `And part of the roof came off, and ever so much thunder got in--and it went rolling round the room in great lumps-- and knocking over the tables and things--till I was so frightened, I couldn't remember my own name!'

Alice thought to herself, `I never should TRY to remember my name in the middle of an accident! Where would be the use of it?' but she did not say this aloud, for fear of hurting the poor Queen's feeling.

`Your Majesty must excuse her,' the Red Queen said to Alice, taking one of the White Queen's hands in her own, and gently stroking it: `she means well, but she can't help saying foolish things, as a general rule.'

The White Queen looked timidly at Alice, who felt she OUGHT to say something kind, but really couldn't think of anything at the moment.