decided to remain where she was as long as there was room for

her.

  `I wish you wouldn't squeeze so.' said the Dormouse, who was

sitting next to her.  `I can hardly breathe.'

  `I can't help it,' said Alice very meekly:  `I'm growing.'

  `You've no right to grow here,' said the Dormouse.

  `Don't talk nonsense,' said Alice more boldly:  `you know

you're growing too.'

  `Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace,' said the Dormouse:

`not in that ridiculous fashion.'  And he got up very sulkily

and crossed over to the other side of the court.

  All this time the Queen had never left off staring at the

Hatter, and, just as the Dormouse crossed the court, she said to

one of the officers of the court, `Bring me the list of the

singers in the last concert!' on which the wretched Hatter

trembled so, that he shook both his shoes off.

  `Give your evidence,' the King repeated angrily, `or I'll have

you executed, whether you're nervous or not.'

  `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.

  `You MUST remember,' remarked the King, `or I'll have you

executed.'

  The miserable Hatter dropped his teacup and bread-and-butter,

and went down on one knee.  `I'm a poor man, your Majesty,' he

began.

  `You're a very poor speaker,' said the King. ()