Алиса в Стране чудес / Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Алиса в Зазеркалье / Through the Looking-glass, and What Alice Found There

’

As a duck with its eyelids,

so he with his nose

Trims his belt and his buttons,

and turns out his toes.”[157 - «Завтра, завтра, не сегодня!» —Говорил Вареный Рак —Что бы там ни говорили,Поступайте только так!Утверждаю это смело:Если хочешь долго жить,Должен ты любое делоПервым делом отложить!(пер. Б. Заходера)]

“That’s different from what I said when I was a child,” said the Gryphon.

“Well, I never heard it before,” said the Mock Turtle; “but it sounds uncommon nonsense.”

Alice said nothing; she had sat down with her face in her hands, wondering if anything would EVER happen in a natural way again.

“I would like to have an explanation,” said the Mock Turtle.

“She can’t explain it,” said the Gryphon hastily. “Go on with the next verse.”

“But about his toes?” the Mock Turtle asked again.

“It’s the first position in dancing.” Alice said; but she was greatly puzzled by the whole thing, and wanted so much to change the subject.

“Go on with the next verse,” the Gryphon repeated impatiently: “it begins “I passed by his garden.””

Alice felt sure it would all be wrong too, but she was ready to continue when suddenly the Mock Turtle interrupted her, “What IS the use of repeating all those things, if you don’t explain them? It’s the most confusing thing I ever heard!”

“Yes, I think you’d better stop it,” said the Gryphon: and Alice was very glad to do so.

“Shall we try another figure of the Lobster Quadrille?” the Gryphon went on. “Or would you like the Mock Turtle to sing you a song?”

“Oh, a song, please, if the Mock Turtle would be so kind,” Alice replied, so fast that the Gryphon said, in a rather offended tone, “Hm! Sing her “Turtle Soup,” then, old fellow.

The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and began to sing.

Suddenly a cry “The trial’s beginning!” was heard in the distance.

“Come on!” cried the Gryphon, and, taking Alice by the hand, hurried off, without waiting for the end of the song.

“What trial is it?” Alice tried to ask as she ran; but the Gryphon only answered “Come on!” and they ran faster.

Chapter 11.