Chapter 15
“Coming,” shouted Alice at the top of her voice. She had completely forgotten that she had grown taller than before. She rushed forward in such a tearing hurry that she lost her balance and struck against the jury box. All the judges sitting there got disturbed and tumbled over one another. In a few moments they lay flat on the ground where the crowd was sitting.
Seeing the judges Alice was terribly frightened. She said to the judges, “I am sorry; I didn’t mean it. Please excuse me.”
Saying these words she got busy in picking them up one by one. The King got very angry with Alice. He growled loudly and said, “What are you up to a little girl! You have made a mess of everything. You will be punished for this misbehaviour of yours. The further proceedings will not take place until and unless the judges get back to their proper seats.”
The King stared hard at Alice who was out of her wits. She was trembling with fear from head to toe.
All of a sudden, Alice realized that in her tearing hurry she had placed the lizard upside down. The lizard was writhing about. Alice went over to the jury box and put it right at once. After doing so she heaved a sigh of relief. The King appreciated the efforts of Alice.
After some time, all the jurors took their respective seats and settled as before. They had their slates and pencils in their hands. They were looking as serious as before. They were ready to listen to the witnesses. But one juror still had not come out of the shock it received during the fall. It was the poor lizard who was till nervous. It was sweating profusely and shaking with fright terribly.
Alice went over to the lizard and said politely, “Dear lizard! I beg your pardon. I am extremely sorry for what I did to you. But it happened by chance. I had no intention to hurt you in any way.”
Hearing the words of Alice the lizard got satisfied. Now it was serious and normal. Seeing the lizard Alice got extremely happy, and excited. The King said to the lizard, “Dear lizard! Are you OK? Are you ready to start the proceedings?”
The lizard observed, “Your Highness! I am fully fit and fine. Now I am absolutely ready to do my work.”
Saying these words the lizard took its slate and pencil and started jotting down something on the slate. The King too got busy in his work. He was writing something in his notebook.
All of a sudden, he stopped writing. He addressed the crowd, “Here is the Rule Forty-two. I read it about in front of you. The Rule states that the person who is more than a mile in height should leave the court at once. If this Rule is flouted, he/she will be put behind bass.”
Hearing the Rule Forty-two Alice was in a state of shock as she had grown taller before. The crowd looked at Alice in disbelief. One of the persons from the crowd shouted, “O little girl! You should leave the court at once. You are surely more than a mile high.”
The other person from the crowd also supported him saying, “You should go at once. Why are you putting you life in danger. Go away from there.”
But Alice had a different stance. She observed, “Your Highness! I am not a mile high. I am speaking the truth. Please believe me.”
The King saw eye to eye with Alice. But the Queen was adamant. She stated, “These people are speaking the truth. To my mind, she is two miles high. So, she should leave the court without any delay.”
But Alice refused to leave. She retorted, “I don’t believe in this Rule. It has been old and outdated. You have just invented it. I won’t go away from here, come what may.”
The King argued saying, “How can you say that it is an old rule?”
Alice observed, “I know that Rule forty-two is somewhat different. This Rule should be number one.”
Hearing the words of Alice the King looked somewhat puzzled. He at once closed his notebook. Turning to the judges he stated, “Now it is up to you to decide the case the way you desire. This little girl is very obstinate. She is beyond my control.”
Saying these words the Kings took his seat and looked sad and disappointed.
Now the little White Rabbit stood up from his seat and observed, “Your Majesty! A lot of audience is yet to come. Why do you look so perplexed? Be calm and cool. This paper has just been picked up. It seems to be an important document. It will work wonders.”
Hearing the words of the little White Rabbit the Queen asked in a loud voice, “Can you tell us what is written it? I am very eager to know.”
The King got up from his seat and shouted loudly, “Hey little White Rabbit! What is in this paper?”
The White Rabbit stated, “Your Highness! I haven’t opened it as yet. To my mind, it is a letter which has been written by the prisoner to somebody. Wait a minute. Let me open it.”
Before the White Rabbit could unfold it, one of the jurors asked, “Whom has it been addressed to?”
The White Rabbit stated, “Sir, nothing has been written on the outside.” Saying these words the White Rabbit unfolded the paper. To his utter amazement, it was not a letter really. It was a collection of verses.
When the White Rabbit declared it in front of the jury, one of the judges remarked, “Are the verses in the handwriting of the prisoner?”
The White Rabbit kept mum. But after some time, he replied, “Sir! It is not in the prisoner’s handwriting.”
Thereupon the King Stated, “I see, the prisoner must have written in somebody else’s handwriting. The prisoner seems to be very clever and shrewd.”
Hearing the words of the King the prisoner who was standing on one side lay prostrate at the feet of the King and observed, “Your Majesty! It is not my handwriting at all. Now of the judges present here can prove it. How can you say that I have written it when there is no name at the end of the verses. I should be set free. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
After a thorough thinking the King stated, “O prisoner! It can’t be another’s handwriting. You didn’t sign it because you had some mischief in your mind. Had you been plain and straight-forward, you would have signed it properly like a true gentleman.”
Hearing the words of the King all the crowd clapped their hands in appreciation. Even the judges were all praise for the King since the King had paid the prisoner back in the same coin.
Now the Queen shouted at the top of her voice, “Much has been heard. It is proved that the prisoner is guilty. He is to be sentenced to death at once. Off with his head!”
Alice said to the Queen, “O fine lady! Please listen to me carefully. Before pronouncing any judgment make sure what these verses are about. Maybe these verses are written for some other purpose.”
The Queen considered Alice’s decision and ordered the little White Rabbit to got through the verses. The little White Rabbit put on his glasses and started reading out the verses to the King and the Queen. He read them thoroughly. No a single verse escaped his eyes. There was a pin-drop silence in the court. The White Rabbit read them from beginning to end. While the White Rabbit was reading out the verses, the King said to the Queen, “Dear! It seems that these verses contain the most important piece of evidence. They will surely help us pass a judicious judgment.”
After the White Rabbit had read out all the verses, Alice stood up and observed, “These verses convey no meaning at all. Is there anybody in the entire court who can explain the meaning of each verse? I shall pay him/her six pence. These verses are rubbish and can’t be taken into consideration for passing a judgment.”
Now Alice had grown a little bit taller. She did not fear the King or the Queen. The members of jury after listening to Alice jotted down sometimes on their slates. But they did not reveal it to anybody. None of the judges ever tried to explain what was written in the paper.
After some time the King observed, “If these verses convey no meaning, as suggested by this little girl, they can’t be taken into notice for passing a judgment. There is no need to waste time. None present here can explain the meaning of each verse.”
Saying these words the King took the verses from the White Rabbit and spread them out on his knees. Thereafter, he looked at them with one eye. He stared at each of the verses for a long time. Then he proclaimed, “I see. There seems to be some meaning in each of the verses.”
There took place a heated argument among the King, The Queen and Alice. Each of them had a different viewpoint. In her fury, the Queen picked up an ink-stand and hurled it at the poor lizard. The lizard got terribly scared. She at once started writing on her slate with the ink that trickled down her face.
Seeing the Queen in wild fury the King tried to sooth her saying, “Dear! Be calm and cool. It was all fun. Literally the verses have no meaning at all. Leave the verdict to the members of jury; they will decide the case among themselves.”
But the Queen was mad in rage. She roared loudly, “I want sentence first, and verdict later on. Off with his head! I want nothing else.”
But Alice could not pocket this insult. She shouted, “How can it be possible? You are making fun of justice. It is said the justice delayed is justice denied. It is all rubbish. I won’t let it happen at any cost.”
Now the Queen was beside herself with anger. She said to Alice, “Bridle your tongue, O little girl. If you love your life, keep quiet. It is none of your business.”
But Alice didn’t pay any attention to what the Queen said. She was adamant. The Queen ordered her soldiers, “Come here and catch hold of this little girl. Take her to the gallows. It seems she is fed up of her life.”
None of the soldiers moved at all to carry out the order of their Queen. Alice said to the Queen, “O lady! They care a fig for you. You have no respect; you have lost your esteem even in the eyes of your soldiers. You are no more than a pack of cards.”
Thereupon, the entire pack of cards appeared in the air and got ready to charge at Alice. In the next moment, the pack of cards came flying upon her one after another. Seeing them all at one time Alice gave out a loud shriek. However hard she tried to beat them off, she failed to do so.
At last, she found herself lying on the river bank. Her sister was sitting by the tree. Alice’s head was in her sister’s lap. Her sister started sweeping away the leaves that were falling upon Alice’s face. Alice’s sister stroke Alice’s head gently and said, “O dear! Get up quickly. We are getting late. You have had a long sleep. Now wake up. Tea is ready.”
Alice woke up with a start. She said to her sister, “Dear sister, I had a curious dream. I visited the wonderland and met many strange creatures. It was really very fascinating.”
Thereafter, Alice told her sister everything she could recollect. Soon after, both the sisters were on their way back home.
