Алиса в зазеркалье
Humpty Dumpty
‘Thatwallissoverynarrow!’
‘Whattremendouslyeasyriddlesyouask!’HumptyDumptygrowledout.‘OfcourseIdon’tthinkso!Why,ifeverIdidfalloff—whichthere’snochanceof—butIfIdid—’HerehepursedhislipsandlookedsosolemnandgrandthatAlicecouldhardlyhelplaughing.‘IfIdidfall,’hewenton,‘theKinghaspromisedme—withhisveryownmouth—to—to—’
‘Tosendallhishorsesandallhismen,’Aliceinterrupted,ratherunwisely.
‘NowIdeclarethat’stoobad!’HumptyDumptycried,breakingintoasuddenpassion.‘You’vebeenlisteningatdoors—andbehindtrees—anddownchimneys—oryoucouldn’thaveknownit!’
‘Ihaven’t,indeed!’Alicesaidverygently.‘It’sinabook.’
‘Ah,well!Theymaywritesuchthingsinabook,’HumptyDumptysaidinacalmertone.‘That’swhatyoucallaHistoryofEngland,thatis.Now,takeagoodlookatme!I’monethathasspokentoaKing,Iam:mayhapyou’llneverseesuchanother:andtoshowyouI’mnotproud,youmayshakehandswithme!’Andhegrinnedalmostfromeartoear,asheleantforwards(andasnearlyaspossiblefellofthewallindoingso)andofferedAlicehishand.Shewatchedhimalittleanxiouslyasshetookit.‘Ifhesmiledmuchmore,theendsofhismouthmightmeetbehind,’shethought:‘andthenIdon’tknowwhatwouldhappentohishead!I’mafraiditwouldcomeoff!’
‘Yes,allhishorsesandallhismen,’HumptyDumptywenton.