The End of the Trial
"Here!" cried Alice, and she stood up.
She did not remember that she had been growing. When she stood up, the chairs and tables and other things and the people in the court room fell about here, there, and everywhere.
Alice put them back in their places. Then she looked at the King. He was writing something. He looked at Alice and then read:
"Rule Forty-two: No person as big as a house may stay in the court.""I'm not as big as a house--" Alice began.
"You are," said the King.
"Nearly twice as big," the Queen added. She was very angry.
"--and it's not a rule," Alice said. "You have just written it.""It's the oldest rule of all," the King told her.
"Then," said Alice, "it should be Rule One, not Rule Forty-two." She was not afraid of them because she had grown so big.
"Off with her head!" shouted the Queen.
"Nonsense!" said Alice. "Who's afraid of you? You're only a pack of cards!"The pack of cards--all fifty-two of them-went up into the air and came down on top of her. Alice began to fight them, partly afraid, and partly angry. She opened her eyes, and--She was on the grass; some leaves had fallen from the tree on to her, and her sister was moving them off her face.
"Wake up, Alice dear!" her sister said. "What a long sleep you have had!" |