Аліса в Задзеркаллі
Wool and Water
‘Ineverheardofsuchathing!’
‘—butthere’sonegreatadvantageinit,thatone’smemoryworksbothways.’
‘I’msuremineonlyworksoneway.’Aliceremarked.‘Ican’trememberthingsbeforetheyhappen.’
‘It’sapoorsortofmemorythatonlyworksbackwards,’theQueenremarked.
‘Whatsortofthingsdoyourememberbest?’Aliceventuredtoask.
‘Oh,thingsthathappenedtheweekafternext,’theQueenrepliedinacarelesstone.‘Forinstance,now,’shewenton,stickingalargepieceofplaster[band-aid]onherfingerasshespoke,‘there’stheKing’sMessenger.He’sinprisonnow,beingpunished:andthetrialdoesn’tevenbegintillnextWednesday:andofcoursethecrimecomeslastofall.’
‘Supposehenevercommitsthecrime?’saidAlice.
‘Thatwouldbeallthebetter,wouldn’tit?’theQueensaid,assheboundtheplasterroundherfingerwithabitofribbon.
Alicefelttherewasnodenyingthat.‘Ofcourseitwouldbeallthebetter,’shesaid:‘butitwouldn’tbeallthebetterhisbeingpunished.’
‘You’rewrongthere,atanyrate,’saidtheQueen:‘wereyoueverpunished?’
‘Onlyforfaults,’saidAlice.
‘Andyouwereallthebetterforit,Iknow!’theQueensaidtriumphantly.
‘Yes,butthenIhaddonethethingsIwaspunishedfor,’saidAlice:‘thatmakesallthedifference.’
