hearth-rugs, table-cloths, dish-covers and coal-scuttles. I hope
you re a good hand at pinning and tying strings? Tweedledum remarked.
Every one of these things has got to go on, somehow or other.
Alice said afterwards she had never seen such a fuss made about
anything in all her life the way those two bustled about and the
quantity of things they put on and the trouble they gave her in tying
strings and fastening buttons Really they ll be more like bundles of
old clothes than anything else, by the time they re ready! she said to
herself, as she arranged a bolster round the neck of Tweedledee, to
keep his head from being cut off, as he said.
You know, he added very gravely, it s one of the most serious things
that can possibly happen to one in a battle to get one s head cut off.
Alice laughed aloud: but she managed to turn it into a cough, for fear
of hurting his feelings.
Do I look very pale? said Tweedledum, coming up to have his helmet
tied on. (He _called_ it a helmet, though it certainly looked much more
like a saucepan.)
Well yes a _little_, Alice replied gently.
I m very brave generally, he went on in a low voice: only to-day I
happen to have a headache.
And _I ve_ got a toothache! said Tweedledee, who had overheard the
remark. I m far worse off than you!
Then you d better not fight to-day, said Alice, thinking it a good
opportunity to make peace.
We _must_ have a bit of a fight, but I don t care about going on
long, said Tweedledum. What s the time now?
Tweedledee looked at his watch, and said Half-past four.
Let s fight till six, and then have dinner, said Tweedledum.
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