A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale

Lory:

What a pity it wouldn’t stay!

sighed the Lory, as soon as it was quite out of sight;

and an old Crab took the opportunity of saying to her daughter

Old Crab:

Ah, my dear! Let this be a lesson to you never to lose your temper!

Young Crab:

Hold your tongue, Ma!

said the young Crab, a little snappishly.

You’re enough to try the patience of an oyster!

Alice:

I wish I had our Dinah here, I know I do!

said Alice aloud, addressing nobody in particular.

She’d soon fetch it back!

Lory:

And who is Dinah, if I might venture to ask the question?

said the Lory.

Alice replied eagerly, for she was always ready to talk about her pet:

Alice:

Dinah’s our cat. And she’s such a capital one for catching mice you can’t think!

Alice:

And oh, I wish you could see her after the birds! Why, she’ll eat a little bird as soon as look at it!

This speech caused a remarkable sensation among the party. Some of the birds hurried off at once:

one old Magpie began wrapping itself up very carefully, remarking,

Magpie:

I really must be getting home; the night-air doesn’t suit my throat!

and a Canary called out in a trembling voice to its children,

Canary:

Come away, my dears! It’s high time you were all in bed!

On various pretexts they all moved off, and Alice was soon left alone.

Alice:

I wish I hadn’t mentioned Dinah!

she said to herself in a melancholy tone.

Alice:

Nobody seems to like her, down here, and I’m sure she’s the best cat in the world! Oh, my dear Dinah! I wonder if I shall ever see you any more!

And here poor Alice began to cry again, for she felt very lonely and low-spirited.

In a little while, however, she again heard a little pattering of footsteps in the distance, and she looked up eagerly, half hoping that the Mouse had changed his mind, and was coming back to finish his story.