| |
Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland
Kapitel 12:
Alice's evidence, Lewis Carroll, Seite 2 ( von 4 )
"There's more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty," said the
White Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry: "this paper has just been
picked up."
"What's in it?" said the Queen.
"I haven't opened it yet," said the White Rabbit, "but it seems
to be a letter, written by the prisoner to - to somebody."
"It must have been that," said the King, "unless it was written
to nobody, which isn't usual, you know."
"Who is it directed to?" said one of the jurymen.
"It isn't directed at all," said the White Rabbit; "in fact,
there's nothing written on the outside." He unfolded the paper as
he spoke, and added, "It isn't a letter, after all: it's a set of
verses."
"Are they in the prisoner's handwriting?" asked another of the
jurymen.
"No, they're not," said the White Rabbit, "and that's the
queerest thing about it." (The jury all looked puzzled.)
"He must have imitated somebody else's hand," said the King. (The
jury all brightened up again.)
"Please your Majesty," said the Knave, "I didn't write it, and
they can't prove I did: there's no name signed at the end."
"If you didn't sign it," said the King, "that only makes the
matter worse. You must have meant
some mischief, or else you'd have signed your name like an honest man."
There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the first really clever
thing the King had said that day.
"That proves his
guilt," said the Queen.
"It proves nothing of the sort!" said Alice. "Why, you don't
even know what they're about!"
"Read them," said the King.
The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. "Where shall I begin, please your
Majesty?" he asked.
"Begin at the beginning," the King said gravely, "and go on till
you come to the end: then stop." ."
These were the verses the White Rabbit read: -
"They told me
you had been to her,
And mentioned me to him:
She gave me a good character,
But said I could not swim.
He sent them word I had not gone
(We know it to be true):
If she should push the matter on,
What would become of you?
I gave her one, they gave him two,
You gave us three or more;
They all returned from him to you,
Though they were mine before.
|
|
