her hands over her ears.

'What IS the matter?' she said, as soon as there was a chance of making
herself heard. 'Have you pricked your finger?'

'I haven't pricked it YET,' the Queen said, 'but I soon shall--oh, oh,
oh!'

'When do you expect to do it?' Alice asked, feeling very much inclined
to laugh.

'When I fasten my shawl again,' the poor Queen groaned out: 'the brooch
will come undone directly. Oh, oh!' As she said the words the brooch
flew open, and the Queen clutched wildly at it, and tried to clasp it
again.

'Take care!' cried Alice. 'You're holding it all crooked!' And she
caught at the brooch; but it was too late: the pin had slipped, and the
Queen had pricked her finger.

'That accounts for the bleeding, you see,' she said to Alice with a
smile. 'Now you understand the way things happen here.'

'But why don't you scream now?' Alice asked, holding her hands ready to
put over her ears again.

'Why, I've done all the screaming already,' said the Queen. 'What would
be the good of having it all over again?'

By this time it was getting light. 'The crow must have flown away, I
think,' said Alice: 'I'm so glad it's gone. I thought it was the night
coming on.'

'I wish _I_ could manage to be glad!' the Queen said. 'Only I never
can remember the rule. You must be very happy, living in this wood, and
being glad whenever you like!'

'Only it is so VERY lonely here!' Alice said in a melancholy voice; and
at the thought of her loneliness two large tears came rolling down her
cheeks.

'Oh, don't go on like that!' cried the poor Queen, wringing her hands in
despair. 'Consider what a great girl you are. Consider what a long way
you've come to-day. Consider what o'clock it is. Consider anything, only
don't cry!'

Alice could not help laughing at this, even in the midst of her tears.
'Can YOU keep from crying by considering things?' she asked.

'That's the way it's done,' the Queen said with great decision: 'nobody
can do two things at once, you know. Let's consider your age to begin
with--how old are you?'

'I'm seven and a half exactly.'

'You needn't say "exactually,"' the Queen remarked: 'I can believe
it without that. Now I'll give YOU something to believe. I'm just one
hundred and one, five months and a day.'

'I can't believe THAT!' said Alice.

'Can't you?' the Queen said in a pitying tone. 'Try again: draw a long
breath, and shut your eyes.'

Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she sa