another footman in livery, with a round face, and large eyes like a
frog; and both footmen, Alice noticed, had powdered hair that curled
all over their heads. She felt very curious to know what it was all
about, and crept a little way out of the wood to listen.
The Fish-Footman began by producing from under his arm a great letter,
nearly as large as himself, and this he handed over to the other,
saying, in a solemn tone, For the Duchess. An invitation from the
Queen to play croquet. The Frog-Footman repeated, in the same solemn
tone, only changing the order of the words a little, From the Queen.
An invitation for the Duchess to play croquet.
Then they both bowed low, and their curls got entangled together.
Alice laughed so much at this, that she had to run back into the wood
for fear of their hearing her; and when she next peeped out the
Fish-Footman was gone, and the other was sitting on the ground near the
door, staring stupidly up into the sky.
Alice went timidly up to the door, and knocked.
There s no sort of use in knocking, said the Footman, and that for
two reasons. First, because I m on the same side of the door as you
are; secondly, because they re making such a noise inside, no one could
possibly hear you. And certainly there _was_ a most extraordinary
noise going on within a constant howling and sneezing, and every now
and then a great crash, as if a dish or kettle had been broken to
pieces.
Please, then, said Alice, how am I to get in?
There might be some sense in your knocking, the Footman went on
without attending to her, if we had the door between us. For instance,
if you were _inside_, you might knock, and I could let you out, you
know. He was looking up into the sky all the time he was speaking, and
this Alice thought decidedly uncivil. But perhaps he can t help it,
she said to herself; his eyes are so _very_ nearly at the top of his
head. But at any rate he might answer questions. How am I to get in?
she repeated, aloud.
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