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: and they walked on in silence till they got to
the top of the little hill.
For some minutes Alice stood without speaking, looking out in all
directions over the country and a most curious country it was. There
were a number of tiny little brooks running straight across it from
side to side, and the ground between was divided up into squares by a
number of little green hedges, that reached from brook to brook.
I declare it s marked out just like a large chessboard! Alice said at
last. There ought to be some men moving about somewhere and so there
are! She added in a tone of delight, and her heart began to beat quick
with excitement as she went on. It s a great huge game of chess that s
being played all over the world if this _is_ the world at all, you
know. Oh, what fun it is! How I _wish_ I was one of them! I wouldn t
mind being a Pawn, if only I might join though of course I should
_like_ to be a Queen, best.
She glanced rather shyly at the real Queen as she said this, but her
companion only smiled pleasantly, and said, That s easily managed. You
can be the White Queen s Pawn, if you like, as Lily s too young to
play; and you re in the Second Square to begin with: when you get to
the Eighth Square you ll be a Queen Just at this moment, somehow or
other, they began to run.
Alice never could quite make out, in thinking it over afterwards, how
18