Алиса в зазеркалье

           ‘They’dpickmeupagaininaminute,theywould!However,thisconversationisgoingonalittletoofast:let’sgobacktothelastremarkbutone.’

           ‘I’mafraidIcan’tquiterememberit,’Alicesaidverypolitely.

           ‘Inthatcasewestartfresh,’saidHumptyDumpty,‘andit’smyturntochooseasubject—’(‘Hetalksaboutitjustasifitwasagame!’thoughtAlice.)‘Sohere’saquestionforyou.Howolddidyousayyouwere?’

           Alicemadeashortcalculation,andsaid‘Sevenyearsandsixmonths.’

           ‘Wrong!’HumptyDumptyexclaimedtriumphantly.‘Youneversaidawordlikeit!’

           ‘Ithoughyoumeant"Howoldareyou?"’Aliceexplained.

           ‘IfI’dmeantthat,I’dhavesaidit,’saidHumptyDumpty.

           Alicedidn’twanttobeginanotherargument,soshesaidnothing.

           ‘Sevenyearsandsixmonths!’HumptyDumptyrepeatedthoughtfully.‘Anuncomfortablesortofage.Nowifyou’daskedmyadvice,I’dhavesaid"Leaveoffatseven"—butit’stoolatenow.’

           ‘Ineveraskadviceaboutgrowing,’Alicesaidindignantly.

           ‘Tooproud?’theotherinquired.

           Alicefeltevenmoreindignantatthissuggestion.‘Imean,’shesaid,‘thatonecan’thelpgrowingolder.’

           ‘Onecan’t,perhaps,’saidHumptyDumpty,‘buttwocan.Withproperassistance,youmighthaveleftoffatseven.’

           ‘Whatabeautifulbeltyou’vegoton!’Alicesuddenlyremarked.