Алиса в стране чудес

           TheyhadnotgonefarbeforetheysawtheMockTurtleinthedistance, sittingsadandlonelyonalittleledgeofrock,and,astheycamenearer,Alicecouldhearhimsighingasifhisheartwouldbreak. Shepitiedhimdeeply. ‘Whatishissorrow?’sheaskedtheGryphon, andtheGryphonanswered,verynearlyinthesamewordsasbefore, ‘It’sallhisfancy,that:hehasn’tgotnosorrow,youknow.Comeon!’ 

           SotheywentuptotheMockTurtle,wholookedatthemwithlargeeyesfulloftears,butsaidnothing. 

           ‘Thishereyounglady,’saidtheGryphon,‘shewantsfortoknowyourhistory,shedo.’ 

           ‘I’lltellither,’saidtheMockTurtleinadeep,hollowtone: ‘sitdown,bothofyou,anddon’tspeakawordtillI’vefinished.’ 

           Sotheysatdown,andnobodyspokeforsomeminutes. Alicethoughttoherself,‘Idon’tseehowhecanevenfinish,ifhedoesn’tbegin. ’Butshewaitedpatiently. 

           ‘Once,’saidtheMockTurtleatlast,withadeepsigh,‘IwasarealTurtle.’ 

           Thesewordswerefollowedbyaverylongsilence,brokenonlybyanoccasionalexclamationof‘Hjckrrh!’fromtheGryphon, andtheconstantheavysobbingoftheMockTurtle. Alicewasverynearlygettingupandsaying, ‘Thankyou,sir,foryourinterestingstory,’butshecouldnothelpthinkingtheremustbemoretocome,soshesatstillandsaidnothing. 

           ‘Whenwewerelittle,’theMockTurtlewentonatlast,morecalmly,thoughstillsobbingalittlenowandthen,‘wewenttoschoolinthesea. ThemasterwasanoldTurtle—weusedtocallhimTortoise—’ 

           ‘WhydidyoucallhimTortoise,ifhewasn’tone? ’Aliceasked.