So they sat down , and nobody spoke for some minutes . Alice thought to herself , ' I do n't see how he can EVEN finish , if he does n'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 . ` When we were little , ' the Mock Turtle went on at last , more calmly , though still sobbing a little now and then , ` we went to school in the sea . The master was an old Turtle -- we used to call him Tortoise -- ' ` Why did you call him Tortoise , if he was n't one ? ' Alice asked . ` We called him Tortoise because he taught us , ' said the Mock Turtle angrily : ` really you are very dull ! ' ` You ought to be ashamed of yourself for asking such a simple question , ' added the Gryphon ; and then they both sat silent and looked at poor Alice , who felt ready to sink into the earth . At last the Gryphon said to the Mock Turtle , ` Drive on , old fellow ! Do n't be all day about it ! ' and he went on in these words : ` Yes , we went to school in the sea , though you may n't believe it -- ' ' I never said I did n't ! ' interrupted Alice . ` You did , ' said the Mock Turtle . ` Hold your tongue ! ' added the Gryphon , before Alice could speak again . The Mock Turtle went on .
` We had the best of educations -- in fact , we went to school every day -- ' ` I 'VE been to a day-school , too , ' said XXXXX ; ` you need n't be so proud as all that . '
Alice Gryphon Hjckrrh Tortoise Turtle day fellow minutes nobody story