‘You are not attending!’ said the Mouse to Alice severely. ‘What are you

thinking of?’ 🔊

‘I beg your pardon,’ said Alice very humbly: ‘you had got to the fifth

bend, I think?’ 🔊

‘I had not!’ cried the Mouse, sharply and very angrily. 🔊

‘A knot!’ said Alice, always ready to make herself useful, and looking

anxiously about her. 🔊 ‘Oh, do let me help to undo it!’ 🔊

‘I shall do nothing of the sort,’ said the Mouse, getting up and walking

away. 🔊 ‘You insult me by talking such nonsense!’ 🔊

‘I didn’t mean it!’ pleaded poor Alice. 🔊 ‘But you’re so easily offended,

you know!’ 🔊

The Mouse only growled in reply. 🔊

‘Please come back and finish your story!’ Alice called after it; and the

others all joined in chorus, ‘Yes, please do!’ but the Mouse only shook

its head impatiently, and walked a little quicker. 🔊

‘What a pity it wouldn’t stay!’ sighed the Lory, as soon as it was quite

out of sight; 🔊 and an old Crab took the opportunity of saying to her

daughter ‘Ah, my dear! Let this be a lesson to you never to lose your temper!’ 🔊