and when she had got its head down, and was going to begin

again, it was very provoking to find that the hedgehog had unrolled

itself, and was in the act of crawling away: 🔊 besides all this, there was

generally a ridge or furrow in the way wherever she wanted to send the

hedgehog to, 🔊 and, as the doubled-up soldiers were always getting up

and walking off to other parts of the ground, Alice soon came to the

conclusion that it was a very difficult game indeed. 🔊

The players all played at once without waiting for turns, quarrelling

all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs; 🔊 and in a very short

time the Queen was in a furious passion, and went stamping about, and

shouting ‘Off with his head!’ or ‘Off with her head!’ about once in a

minute. 🔊

Alice began to feel very uneasy: to be sure, she had not as yet had any

dispute with the Queen, but she knew that it might happen any minute,

‘and then,’ thought she, ‘what would become of me? 🔊 They’re dreadfully

fond of beheading people here; the great wonder is, that there’s any one

left alive!’ 🔊

She was looking about for some way of escape, and wondering whether she

could get away without being seen, when she noticed a curious appearance

in the air: 🔊