The Mock Turtle’s Story

           "Youcan’tthinkhowgladIamtoseeyouagain,youdearoldthing! "saidtheDuchess,asshetuckedherarmaffectionatelyintoAlice’s,andtheywalkedofftogether. 

           Alicewasverygladtofindherinsuchapleasanttemper, andthoughttoherselfthatperhapsitwasonlythepepperthathadmadehersosavagewhentheymetinthekitchen. 

           "WhenI’maDuchess,"shesaidtoherself(notinaveryhopefultone,though),"Iwon’thaveanypepperinmykitchenatall. Soupdoesverywellwithout —Maybeit’salwayspepperthatmakespeoplehot-tempered,"shewenton,verymuchpleasedathavingfoundoutanewkindofrule,"andvinegarthatmakesthemsour —andcamomilethatmakesthembitter—and—andbarley-sugarandsuchthingsthatmakechildrensweet-tempered. Ionlywishpeopleknewthat: thentheywouldn’tbesostingyaboutit,youknow—" 

           ShehadquiteforgottentheDuchessbythistime,andwasalittlestartledwhensheheardhervoiceclosetoherear. "You’rethinkingaboutsomething,mydear,andthatmakesyouforgettotalk. Ican’ttellyoujustnowwhatthemoralofthatis,butIshallrememberitinabit." 

           "Perhapsithasn’tone,"Aliceventuredtoremark. 

           "Tut,tut,child! "saidtheDuchess. "Everything’sgotamoral,ifonlyyoucanfindit. "AndshesqueezedherselfupclosertoAlice’ssideasshespoke. 

           Alicedidnotmuchlikeherkeepingsoclosetoher: first,becausetheDuchesswasveryugly;