The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived, with a great crowd assembled about them — all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him; and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the other. In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, that it made Alice quite hungry to look at them — ‘I wish they’d get the trial done,’ she thought, ‘and hand round the refreshments!

’ But there seemed to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about her, to pass away the time.

Alice had never been