Dialogos

Sister: ...leaders, and had been of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest. Edwin and Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria declared for him, and even Stigand... Alice!

Alice: Hmm...? Oh, I’m listening.

Sister: And even Stigand, the archbishop of Canterbury, agreed to meet with William and offer him the crown.

Alice: He he he!

Sister: William’s conduct at first wasmo....

Alice: He he he!

Sister: Alice...! Will you kindly pay attention to your history lesson?

Alice: I’m sorry, but how can one possibly pay attention to a book with no pictures in it?

Sister: My dear child, there are a great many good books in this world without pictures.

Alice: In this world perhaps. But in my world, the books would be nothing but pictures.

Sister: Yourworld? Huh, what nonsense. Now...

Alice: Nonsense?

Sister: Once more. From the beginning.

Alice: That’s it, Dinah! If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrariwise, what it is, it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?

Dinah: Meow!

Alice: In my world, youwouldn’t say ‘meow’. You’d say ‘Yes, miss Alice’.

Dinah: Meow!

Alice: Oh, but you would! You’d be just like people, Dinah, and all the other animals too. Why, in my world... Cats and rabbits, would reside in fancy little houses, and be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers. In a world of my own. All the flowers would have very extra special powers, they would sit and talk to me for hours, when I’mlonely in a world of my own. There’d be new birds, lots of nice and friendly how-de-do birds, everyone would have a dozen bluebirds, within that world of my own. I could listen to a babbling brook and here a song, that I could understand. I keep wishing it could be that way, because my world would be a wonderland.

Dinah: Meow! Meow! Meow!

Alice: Oh Dinah! It’s just a rabbit with awaistcoat... and a watch!

White Rabbit: Oh my fur and whiskers! I’m late, I’m late I’m late!

Alice: Now this is curious! What could a rabbit possibly be late for? Please, sir!

White Rabbit: I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye! I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!

Alice: It must be awfully important, like a party or something! Mister Rabbit! Wait!White Rabbit: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I’m overdue. I’m really in a stew. No time to say goodbye, hello! I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!

Alice: My, what a peculiar place to have a party.

Dinah: Meow!

Alice: You know, Dinah, we really shouldn’t...uhh...uhh...be doing this... After all, we haven’t been invited! And curiosity often leads to troubl – l – l – e – e – e! Goodbye, Dinah!Goodbye! ... Oh! Well, after this I shall think nothing of fa-... of falling downstairs! ... Oh! Ahhh... Oh, Goodness! What if I should fall right through the center of the earth... oh, and come out the other side, where people walk upside down. Oh, but that’s silly. Nobody... oh! Oh, ha ha. Oh, mister Rabbit! Wait! Please! ... Curiouser and curiouser!

Doorknob: Ohhhhh!!

Alice: OH! Oh, I beg yourpardon.

Doorknob: Oh, oh, it’s quite all right. But you did give me quite a turn!

Alice: You see, I was following...

Doorknob: Rather good, what? Doorknob, turn?

Alice: Please, sir.

Doorknob: Well, one good turn deserves another! What can I do for you?

Alice: Well, I’m looking for a white rabbit. So, um, if you don’t mind...

Doorknob: Uh? Oh!

Alice: There he is! Isimply must get through!

Doorknob: Sorry, you’re much too big. Simply impassible.

Alice: You mean impossible?

Doorknob: No, impassible. Nothing’s impossible! Why don’t you try the bottle on the table?

Alice: Table? Oh!

Doorknob: Read the directions, and directly you’ll be directed in the right direction. He he he!

Alice: ‘Drink me’. Hmmm, better look first. For if one...