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Chapter XII, Alice’s Evidence. Part II
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But her sister sat still just as she left her, leaning her head on her hand, watching the setting sun, and thinking of little Alice and all her wonderful Adventures, till she too began dreaming after a fashion, and this was her dream: –
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First, she dreamed of little Alice herself, and once again the tiny hands were clasped upon her knee, and the bright eager eyes were looking up into hers–she could hear the very tones of her voice, and see that queer little toss of her head to keep back the wandering hair that WOULD always get into her eyes – and still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place around her became alive the strange creatures of her little sister’s dream.
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The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried by – the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the neighbouring pool – she could hear the rattle of the teacups as the March Hare and his friends shared their neverending meal, and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate guests to execution – once more the pigbaby was sneezing on the Duchess’s knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it – once more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard’s slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable Mock Turtle.
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So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality – the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds – the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheepbells, and the Queen’s shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy – and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all thy other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farmyard – while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle’s heavy sobs.
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Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make THEIR eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.
Verses
100
All in the golden afternoon
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Full leisurely we glide;
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For both our oars, with little skill,
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By little arms are plied,
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While little hands make vain pretence
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Our wanderings to guide.
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Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour
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Beneath such dreamy weather,
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To beg a tale of breath too weak
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To stir the tiniest feather!
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Yet what can one poor voice avail
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Against three tongues together?
112
Imperious Prima flashes forth
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Her edict ‘to begin it’:
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In gentler tones Secunda hopes
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‘There will be nonsense in it!’
116
While Tertia interrupts the tale
117
Not more than once a minute.
118
Anon, to sudden silence won,
119
In fancy they pursue
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The dream-child moving through a land
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Of wonders wild and new,
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In friendly chat with bird or beast –
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And half believe it true.
124
And ever, as the story drained
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The wells of fancy dry,
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And faintly strove that weary one
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To put the subject by,
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‘The rest next time – ’ ‘It is next time!’
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The happy voices cry.
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Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:
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Thus slowly, one by one,
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Its quaint events were hammered out –
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And now the tale is done,
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And home we steer, a merry crew,
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Beneath the setting sun.
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Alice! A childish story take,
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And with a gentle hand,
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Lay it where Childhood’s dreams are twined
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In Memory’s mystic band,
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Like pilgrim’s wither’d wreath of flowers
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Plucked in a far off land.
