Who Stole the Tarts?

           TheKingandQueenofHeartswereseatedontheirthronewhentheyarrived,withagreatcrowdassembledaboutthem—allsortsoflittlebirdsandbeasts,aswellasthewholepackofcards: theKnavewasstandingbeforethem,inchains,withasoldieroneachsidetoguardhim; andneartheKingwastheWhiteRabbit,withatrumpetinonehand,andascrollofparchmentintheother. Intheverymiddleofthecourtwasatable,withalargedishoftartsuponit: theylookedsogood,thatitmadeAlicequitehungrytolookatthem —‘Iwishthey’dgetthetrialdone,’shethought,‘andhandroundtherefreshments! ’Butthereseemedtobenochanceofthis,soshebeganlookingateverythingabouther,topassawaythetime. 

           Alicehadneverbeeninacourtofjusticebefore,butshehadreadabouttheminbooks,andshewasquitepleasedtofindthatsheknewthenameofnearlyeverythingthere. ‘That’sthejudge,’shesaidtoherself,‘becauseofhisgreatwig.’ 

           Thejudge,bytheway,wastheKing; andasheworehiscrownoverthewig,(lookatthefrontispieceifyouwanttoseehowhedidit,)hedidnotlookatallcomfortable,anditwascertainlynotbecoming. 

           ‘Andthat’sthejury-box,’thoughtAlice,‘andthosetwelvecreatures,’(shewasobligedtosay‘creatures,’yousee,becausesomeofthemwereanimals,andsomewerebirds,)‘Isupposetheyarethejurors. ’Shesaidthislastwordtwoorthreetimesovertoherself,beingratherproudofit: forshethought,andrightlytoo,thatveryfewlittlegirlsofherageknewthemeaningofitatall. However,‘jury-men’wouldhavedonejustaswell. 

           Thetwelvejurorswereallwritingverybusilyonslates. ‘Whataretheydoing? ’AlicewhisperedtotheGryphon. ‘Theycan’thaveanythingtoputdownyet,beforethetrial’sbegun.’