So they went up to the Mock Turtle, who looked at them with large eyes

full of tears, but said nothing. 🔊

‘This here young lady,’ said the Gryphon, ‘she wants for to know your

history, she do.’ 🔊

‘I’ll tell it her,’ said the Mock Turtle in a deep, hollow tone: ‘sit down, both of you, and don’t speak a word till I’ve finished.’ 🔊

So they sat down, and nobody spoke for some minutes. 🔊 Alice thought to

herself, ‘I don’t see how he can even finish, if he doesn’t begin.’ But

she waited patiently. 🔊

‘Once,’ said the Mock Turtle at last, with a deep sigh, ‘I was a real

Turtle.’ 🔊

These words were followed by a very long silence, broken only by an

occasional exclamation of ‘Hjckrrh!’ from the Gryphon, and the constant

heavy sobbing of the Mock Turtle. 🔊 Alice was very nearly getting up and

saying, ‘Thank you, sir, for your interesting story,’ but she could

not help thinking there must be more to come, so she sat still and said

nothing. 🔊