just as if it was a regular bee, thought Alice.
However, this was anything but a regular bee: in fact it was an
elephant as Alice soon found out, though the idea quite took her breath
away at first. And what enormous flowers they must be! was her next
idea. Something like cottages with the roofs taken off, and stalks put
to them and what quantities of honey they must make! I think I ll go
down and no, I won t _just_ yet, she went on, checking herself just as
she was beginning to run down the hill, and trying to find some excuse
for turning shy so suddenly. It ll never do to go down among them
without a good long branch to brush them away and what fun it ll be
when they ask me how I like my walk. I shall say Oh, I like it well
enough (here came the favourite little toss of the head), only it
was so dusty and hot, and the elephants did tease so!
I think I ll go down the other way, she said after a pause: and
perhaps I may visit the elephants later on. Besides, I do so want to
get into the Third Square!
So with this excuse she ran down the hill and jumped over the first of
the six little brooks.
* * * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * * *
Tickets, please! said the Guard, putting his head in at the window.
In a moment everybody was holding out a ticket: they were about the
same size as the people, and quite seemed to fill the carriage.
Now then! Show your ticket, child! the Guard went on, looking angrily
at Alice. And a great many voices all said together ( like the chorus
of a song, thought Alice), Don t keep him waiting, child! Why, his
time is worth a thousand pounds a minute!
I m afraid I haven t got one, Alice said in a frightened tone: there
wasn t a ticket-office where I came from. And again the chorus of
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