| She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the
edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large
caterpillar, that was sitting on the top with its arms folded, quietly
smoking a long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of
anything else. The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time
in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and
addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice. `Who are YOU?' said the
Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice
replied, rather shyly, `I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I
know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been
changed several times since then.' `What do you mean by that?' said the
Caterpillar sternly. `Explain yourself!' `I can't explain MYSELF, I'm
afraid, sir' said Alice, `because I'm not myself, you see.' `I don't see,'
said the Caterpillar. `I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice
replied very politely, `for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and
being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.' `It isn't,' said
the Caterpillar. `Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice;
`but when you have to turn into a chrysalis--you will some day, you
know--and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a
little queer, won't you?' `Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar. `Well, perhaps
your feelings may be different,' said Alice; `all I know is, it would feel
very queer to ME.' `You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. `Who are
YOU?' Which brought them back again to the beginning of the conversation.
Alice felt a little irritated at the Caterpillar's making such VERY short
remarks, and she drew herself up and said, very gravely, `I think, you ought
to tell me who YOU are, first.' `Why?' said the Caterpillar. Here was
another puzzling question; and as Alice could not think of any good reason,
and as the Caterpillar seemed to be in a VERY unpleasant state of mind, she
turned away. `Come back!' the Caterpillar called after her. `I've something
important to say!' This sounded promising, certainly: Alice turned and came
back again. `Keep your temper,' said the Caterpillar. `Is that all?' said
Alice, swallowing down her anger as well as she could. `No,' said the
Caterpillar. Alice thought she might as well wait, as she had nothing else
to do, and perhaps after all it might tell her something worth hearing. For
some minutes it puffed away without speaking, but at last it unfolded its
arms, took the hookah out of its mouth again, and said, `So you think you're
changed, do you?' `I'm afraid I am, sir,' said Alice; `I can't remember
things as I used--and I don't keep the same size for ten minutes together!'
`Can't remember WHAT things?' said the Caterpillar. `Well, I've tried to say
"HOW DOTH THE LITTLE BUSY BEE," but it all came different!' Alice replied in
a very melancholy voice. `Repeat, "YOU ARE OLD, FATHER WILLIAM,"' said the
Caterpillar. |