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"I'm a poor man, your Majesty," the Hatter began, in a trembling

voice, "-and I hadn't begun my tea-not above a week or so-and

what with the bread-and-butter getting so thin-and the twinkling

of the tea-"

"The twinkling of the what?" said the King.

"It began with the tea," the Hatter replied.

"Of course twinkling begins with a T!" said the King sharply. "Do

you take me for a dunce? Go on!"

"I'm a poor man," the Hatter went on, "and most things twinkled

after that-only the March Hare said-"

"I didn't!" the March Hare interrupted in a great hurry.

"You did!" said the Hatter.

"I deny it!" said the March Hare.

"He denies it," said the King: "leave out that part."

"Well, at any rate, the Dormouse said-" the Hatter went on,

looking anxiously round to see if he would deny it too: but the

Dormouse denied nothing, being fast asleep.

"After that," continued the Hatter, "I cut some more

bread-and-butter-"

"But what did the Dormouse say?" one of the jury asked.

"That I can't remember," said the Hatter.