He must have imitated somebody else s hand, said the King. (The jury
all brightened up again.)
Please your Majesty, said the Knave, I didn t write it, and they
can t prove I did: there s no name signed at the end.
If you didn t sign it, said the King, that only makes the matter
worse. You _must_ have meant some mischief, or else you d have signed
your name like an honest man.
There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the first really
clever thing the King had said that day.
That _proves_ his guilt, said the Queen.
It proves nothing of the sort! said Alice. Why, you don t even know
what they re about!
Read them, said the King.
The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. Where shall I begin, please
your Majesty? he asked.
Begin at the beginning, the King said gravely, and go on till you
come to the end: then stop.
These were the verses the White Rabbit read:
They told me you had been to her,
And mentioned me to him:
She gave me a good character,
But said I could not swim.
He sent them word I had not gone
(We know it to be true):
If she should push the matter on,
What would become of you?
I gave her one, they gave him two,
You gave us three or more;
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