Аліса в Задзеркаллі
It’s my own Invention
‘I’lltellyouhowIcametothinkofit,’saidtheKnight.‘Yousee,Isaidtomyself,"Theonlydifficultyiswiththefeet:theheadishighenoughalready."Now,firstIputmyheadonthetopofthegate—thenIstandonmyhead—thenthefeetarehighenough,yousee—thenI’mover,yousee.’
‘Yes,Isupposeyou’dbeoverwhenthatwasdone,’Alicesaidthoughtfully:‘butdon’tyouthinkitwouldberatherhard?’
‘Ihaven’ttriedityet,’theKnightsaid,gravely:‘soIcan’ttellforcertain—butI’mafraiditwouldbealittlehard.’
Helookedsovexedattheidea,thatAlicechangedthesubjecthastily.‘Whatacurioushelmetyou’vegot!’shesaidcheerfully.‘Isthatyourinventiontoo?’
TheKnightlookeddownproudlyathishelmet,whichhungfromthesaddle.‘Yes,’hesaid,‘butI’veinventedabetteronethanthat—likeasugarloaf.WhenIusedtowearit,ifIfelloffthehorse,italwaystouchedthegrounddirectly.SoIhadaverylittlewaytofall,yousee—ButtherewasthedangeroffallingIntoit,tobesure.Thathappenedtomeonce—andtheworstofitwas,beforeIcouldgetoutagain,theotherWhiteKnightcameandputiton.Hethoughtitwashisownhelmet.’
TheknightlookedsosolemnaboutitthatAlicedidnotdaretolaugh.‘I’mafraidyoumusthavehurthim,’shesaidinatremblingvoice,‘beingonthetopofhishead.’
‘Ihadtokickhim,ofcourse,’theKnightsaid,veryseriously.
