Алиса в зазеркалье

           (Theyhadhadquiteenoughofthesubjectofage,shethought:andiftheyreallyweretotaketurnsinchoosingsubjects,itwasherturnnow.)‘Atleast,’shecorrectedherselfonsecondthoughts,‘abeautifulcravat,Ishouldhavesaid—no,abelt,Imean—Ibegyourpardon!’sheaddedindismay,forHumptyDumptylookedthoroughlyoffended,andshebegantowishshehadn’tchosenthatsubject.‘IfIonlyknew,’thethoughttoherself,‘whichwasneckandwhichwaswaist!’

           EvidentlyHumptyDumptywasveryangry,thoughhesaidnothingforaminuteortwo.Whenhedidspeakagain,itwasinadeepgrowl.

           ‘Itisa—most—provoking—thing,’hesaidatlast,‘whenapersondoesn’tknowacravatfromabelt!’

           ‘Iknowit’sveryignorantofme,’Alicesaid,insohumbleatonethatHumptyDumptyrelented.

           ‘It’sacravat,child,andabeautifulone,asyousay.It’sapresentfromtheWhiteKingandQueen.Therenow!’

           ‘Isitreally?’saidAlice,quitepleasedtofindthatshehadchosenagoodsubject,afterall.

           ‘Theygaveitme,’HumptyDumptycontinuedthoughtfully,ashecrossedonekneeovertheotherandclaspedhishandsroundit,‘theygaveitme—foranun-birthdaypresent.’

           ‘Ibegyourpardon?’Alicesaidwithapuzzledair.

           ‘I’mnotoffended,’saidHumptyDumpty.

           ‘Imean,whatIsanun-birthdaypresent?’

           ‘Apresentgivenwhenitisn’tyourbirthday,ofcourse.’

           Aliceconsideredalittle.‘Ilikebirthdaypresentsbest,’shesaidatlast.