After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, and

she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming. 🔊 It was the White

Rabbit returning, splendidly dressed, with a pair of white kid gloves in

one hand and a large fan in the other: 🔊 he came trotting along in a great

hurry, muttering to himself as he came, ‘Oh! the Duchess, the Duchess! 🔊

Oh! won’t she be savage if I’ve kept her waiting!’ 🔊 Alice felt so

desperate that she was ready to ask help of any one; 🔊 so, when the Rabbit

came near her, she began, in a low, timid voice, ‘If you please, sir--’ 🔊

The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid gloves and the fan,

and scurried away into the darkness as hard as he could go. 🔊