` Where shall I begin , please your Majesty ? ' he asked . ` Begin at the beginning , ' the King said gravely , ` and go on till you come to the end : then stop . ' These were the verses the White Rabbit read : -- ` They told me you had been to her , And mentioned me to him : She gave me a good character , But said I could not swim . He sent them word I had not gone -LRB- We know it to be true -RRB- : If she should push the matter on , What would become of you ? I gave her one , they gave him two , You gave us three or more ; They all returned from him to you , Though they were mine before . If I or she should chance to be Involved in this affair , He trusts to you to set them free , Exactly as we were . My notion was that you had been -LRB- Before she had this fit -RRB- An obstacle that came between Him , and ourselves , and it . Do n't let him know she liked them best , For this must ever be A secret , kept from all the rest , Between yourself and me . ' ` That 's the most important piece of evidence we 've heard yet , ' said the King , rubbing his hands ; ` so now let the jury -- ' ` If any one of them can explain it , ' said Alice , -LRB- she had grown so large in the last few minutes that she was n't a bit afraid of interrupting him , -RRB- ` I 'll give him sixpence . I do n't believe there 's an atom of meaning in it . ' The jury all wrote down on their slates , ` SHE does n't believe there 's an atom of meaning in it , ' but none of them attempted to explain the paper . ` If there 's no meaning in it , ' said the King , ` that saves a world of trouble , you know , as we need n't try to find any . And yet I do n't know , ' he went on , spreading out the verses on his knee , and looking at them with one eye ; ' I seem to see some meaning in them , after all . '' -- SAID I COULD NOT SWIM -- '' you ca n't swim , can you ? ' he added , turning to the Knave . The Knave shook his head sadly . ` Do I look like it ? ' he said . -LRB- Which he certainly did NOT , being made entirely of cardboard . -RRB-
` All right , so far , ' said the XXXXX , and he went on muttering over the verses to himself : ' `` WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE -- '' that 's the jury , of course -- `` I GAVE HER ONE , THEY GAVE HIM TWO -- '' why , that must be what he did with the tarts , you know -- ' ` But , it goes on `` THEY ALL RETURNED FROM HIM TO YOU , '' ' said Alice .
Alice King Knave Rabbit affair knee minutes sixpence slates verses