"Why don't you talk more and not think so long?" asked the Duch-ess.
"I've a right to think," said Al-ice in a sharp tone, for she was tired
and vexed.
"Just as much right," said the Duch-ess, "as pigs have to fly; and the
mor--"
But here the voice of the Duch-ess died out in the midst of her pet
word, "mor-al," and Al-ice felt the arm that was linked in hers shake as
if with fright. Al-ice looked up and there stood the Queen in front of
them with her arms fold-ed, and a dark frown up-on her face.
"A fine day, your ma-jes-ty!" the Duch-ess be-gan in a weak voice.
"Now, I warn you in time," shout-ed the Queen, with a stamp on the
ground as she spoke; "ei-ther you or your head must be off, and that in
a-bout half no time! Take your choice!"
The Duch-ess took her choice and was gone in a mo-ment.
"Let's go on with the game," the Queen said to Al-ice; and Al-ice was in
too great a fright to speak, but went with her, back to the cro-quet
ground.
The guests had all sat down in the shade to rest while the Queen was
a-way, but as soon as they saw her they rushed back to the game; while
the Queen said if they were not in their pla-ces at once, it would cost
them their lives.
All the time the game went on the Queen kept shout-ing, "Off with his
head!" or "Off with her head!" so that by the end of half an hour there
was no one left on the grounds but the King, the Queen, and Al-ice.
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