_Alice_ ... The TH-ND-R-R. _White Queen_ ... H-RC-RT.
_Red Queen_ ... CH-MB-RL-N.
"I'll tell you what it is, your Majesty," said ALICE in a severe tone
(she was always rather fond of scolding the White Queen), "it'll never
do to swagger about all over the place like that! Dignitaries have to
be dignified, you know!"
Everything was happening so oddly (since Thunderland had turned
against Blunderland) that she didn't feel a bit surprised at finding
the Red Queen and the White Queen sitting close to her, one on
each side. But she found it rather difficult to be quite civil to
them--especially the White Queen, who had once been rather a favourite
with her, but at whom she now never lost an opportunity of girding.
"Always speak the truth," said the Red Queen (cocking her nose at the
White)--"think before you speak--and _write it down afterwards_. It's
safest, if you're dealing with _some_ persons."
"That's just what I complain of," said the White Queen, loftily. "You
couldn't tell the truth--about that Table--if you tried with both
hands."
"I don't tell the truth with my _hands_," the Red Queen objected,
icily.
"Nobody said you did," said the White Queen. "Nobody said you told
it _anyhow_. I said you couldn't if you tried. And you _don't_ try
either. So _there_!"
"She's in that state of mind," said the Red Queen, "that she wants to
deny _something_--only she doesn't know what to deny!"
"A nasty vicious temper," the White Queen remarked; and then there was
an uncomfortable silence for a month or two.
The White Queen broke the silence by saying to the Red Queen, "I
invite you to ALICE's Party--which _used_ to be neutral ground--to
explain, if you _can_, that nondescript nonsense of yours about
National Councils as a substitute for Home Rule."