Page:Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.djvu/57

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LIVE FLOWERS.
37

"I only wanted to see what the garden was like, your Majesty——"

"That's right," said the Queen, patting her on the head, which Alice didn't like at all, "though, when you say 'garden.'—I've seen gardens, compared with which this would be a wilderness."

Alice didn't dare to argue the point, but went on: "——and I thought I'd try and find my way to the top of that hill——"

"When you say 'hill,'" the Queen interrupted, "I could show you hills, in comparison with which you'd call that a valley."

"No, I shouldn't," said Alice, surprised into contradicting her at last: "a hill can't be a valley, you know. That would be nonsense——"

The Red Queen shook her head. "You may call it 'nonsense' if you like," she said, "but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!"

Alice curtseyed again, as she was afraid from the Queen's tone that she was a little offended: