le yourself to say it any longer than that," said
Alice.

"Oh, don't talk about trouble!" said the Duchess. "I make you a present
of everything I've said as yet."

"A cheap sort of present!" thought Alice. "I'm glad they don't give
birthday presents like that!" But she did not venture to say it out
loud.

"Thinking again?" the Duchess asked with another dig of her sharp little
chin.

"I've a right to think," said Alice sharply, for she was beginning to
feel a little worried.

"Just about as much right," said the Duchess, "as pigs have to fly; and
the m----"

But here, to Alice's great surprise, the Duchess's voice died away, even
in the middle of her favourite word "moral," and the arm that was linked
into hers began to tremble. Alice looked up, and there stood the Queen
in front of them, with her arms folded, frowning like a thunderstorm.

"A fine day, your Majesty!" the Duchess began in a low, weak voice.

"Now, I give you fair warning," shouted the Queen, stamping on the
ground as she spoke; "either you or your head must be off, and that in
about half no time! Take your choice!"

The Duchess took her choice, and was gone in a moment.

"Let's go on with the game," the Queen said to Alice; and Alice was too
much frightened to say a word, but slowly followed her back to the
croquet-ground.

The other guests had taken advantage of the Queen's absence, and were
resting in the shade: however, the moment they saw her, they hurried
back to the game, the Queen merely remarking that a moment's delay would
cost them their lives.

[Illustration: _The Queen never left off quarrelling with the other
players, and shouting "Off with his head!" or, "Off with her head!"_]

All the time they were playing the Queen never left off quarrelling with
the other players, and shouting "Off with his head!" or "Off with her
head!" Those whom she sentenced were taken into custody by the soldiers,
who of course had to leave off being arches to do this, so that by the
end of half an hour or so there were no arches left, and all the
players, except the King, the Queen, and Alice, were in custody and
under sentence of execution.

Then the Queen left off, quite out of breath, and said to Alice, "Have
you seen the Mock Turtle yet?"

"No," said Alice. "I don't even know what a Mock Turtle is."

"It's the thing Mock Turtle Soup is made from," said the Queen.

"I never saw one, or heard of one," said Alice.

"Come on then," said th