letter, nearly as large as himself, and this he handed over to

the other, saying, in a solemn tone, `For the Duchess.  An

invitation from the Queen to play croquet.'  The Frog-Footman

repeated, in the same solemn tone, only changing the order of the

words a little, `From the Queen.  An invitation for the Duchess

to play croquet.'

  Then they both bowed low, and their curls got entangled

together.

  Alice laughed so much at this, that she had to run back into

the wood for fear of their hearing her; and when she next peeped

out the Fish-Footman was gone, and the other was sitting on the

ground near the door, staring stupidly up into the sky.

  Alice went timidly up to the door, and knocked.

  `There's no sort of use in knocking,' said the Footman, `and

that for two reasons.  First, because I'm on the same side of the

door as you are; secondly, because they're making such a noise

inside, no one could possibly hear you.'  And certainly there was

a most extraordinary noise going on within--a constant howling

and sneezing, and every now and then a great crash, as if a dish

or kettle had been broken to pieces.

  `Please, then,' said Alice, `how am I to get in?'

  `There might be some sense in your knocking,' the Footman went

on without attending to her, `if we had the door between us.  For

instance, if you were INSIDE, you might knock, and I could let

you out, you know.'  He was looking up into the sky all the time

he was speaking, and this Alice thought decidedly uncivil.  `But

perhaps he can't help it,' she said to herself; `his eyes are so

VERY nearly at the top of his head.  But at any rate he might

answer questions.--How am I to get in?' she repeated, aloud.

  `I shall sit here,' the Footman remarked, `till tomorrow--'

  At this moment the door of the house opened, and a large plate

came skimming out, straight at the Footman's head:  it just

grazed his nose, and broke to pieces against one of the trees

behind him.

  `--or next day, maybe,' the Footman continued in the same tone,

exactly as if nothing had happened.

  `How am I to get in?' asked Alice again, in a louder tone.

  `ARE you to get in at all?' said the Footman.  `That's the

first question, you know.'

  It was, no doubt:  only Alice did not like to be told so.

`It's really dreadful,' she muttered to herself, `the way all the

creatures argue.  It's enough to drive one crazy!'

  The Footman seemed to think this a good opportunity for ()