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silence； till they came in sight of a great crowd； in the middle
of which the Lion and Unicorn were fighting。 They were in such a
cloud of dust； that at first Alice could not make out which was
which： but she soon managed to distinguish the Unicorn by his
horn。
They placed themselves close to where Hatta； the other
messenger； was standing watching the fight； with a cup of tea in
one hand and a piece of bread…and…butter in the other。
‘He's only just out of prison； and he hadn't finished his tea
when he was sent in；' Haigha whispered to Alice： ‘and they only
give them oyster…shells in thereso you see he's very hungry
and thirsty。 How are you； dear child？' he went on； putting his
arm affectionately round Hatta's neck。
Hatta looked round and nodded； and went on with his bread and
butter。
‘Were you happy in prison； dear child？' said Haigha。
Hatta looked round once more； and this time a tear or two
trickled down his cheek： but not a word would he say。
‘Speak； can't you！' Haigha cried impatiently。 But Hatta only
munched away； and drank some more tea。
‘Speak； won't you！' cried the King。 'How are they getting on
with the fight？'
Hatta made a desperate effort； and swallowed a large piece of
bread…and…butter。 ‘They're getting on very well；' he said in a
choking voice： ‘each of them has been down about eighty…seven
times。'
‘Then I suppose they'll soon bring the white bread and the
brown？' Alice ventured to remark。
‘It's waiting for 'em now；' said Hatta： ‘this is a bit of it
as I'm eating。'
There was a pause in the fight just then； and the Lion and the
Unicorn sat down； panting； while the King called out ‘Ten minutes
allowed for refreshments！' Haigha and Hatta set to work at once；
carrying rough trays of white and brown bread。 Alice took a
piece to taste； but it was VERY dry。
‘I don't think they'll fight any more to…day；' the King said to
Hatta： ‘go and order the drums to begin。' And Hatta went
bounding away like a grasshopper。
For a minute or two Alice stood silent； watching him。 Suddenly
she brightened up。 ‘Look； look！' she cried； pointing eagerly。
‘There's the White Queen running across the country！ She came
flying out of the wood over yonderHow fast those Queens CAN
run！'
‘There's some enemy after her； no doubt；' the King said；
without even looking round。 ‘That wood's full of them。'
‘But aren't you going to run and help her？' Alice asked； very
much surprised at his taking it so quietly。
‘No use； no use！' said the King。 ‘She runs so fearfully quick。
You might as well try to catch a Bandersnatch！ But I'll make a
memorandum about her； if you likeShe's a dear good creature；'
he repeated softly to himself； as he opened his memorandum…book。
‘Do you spell 〃creature〃 with a double 〃e〃？'
At this moment the Unicorn sauntered by them； with his hands in
his pockets。 ‘I had the best of it this time？' he said to the
King； just glancing at him as he passed。
‘A littlea little；' the King replied； rather nervously。
‘You shouldn't have run him through with your horn； you know。'
‘It didn't hurt him；' the Unicorn said carelessly； and he was
going on； when his eye happened to fall upon Alice： he turned
round rather instantly； and stood for some time looking at her
with an air of the deepest disgust。
‘Whatisthis？' he said at last。
‘This is a child！' Haigha replied eagerly； coming in front of
Alice to introduce her； and spreading out both his hands towards
her in an Anglo…Saxon attitude。 ‘We only found it to…day。 It's
as large as life； and twice as natural！'
‘I always thought they were fabulous monsters！' said the
Unicorn。 ‘Is it alive？'
‘It can talk；' said Haigha； solemnly。
The Unicorn looked dreamily at Alice； and said ‘Talk； child。'
Alice could not help her lips curling up into a smile as she began：
‘Do you know； I always thought Unicorns were fabulous monsters； too！
I never saw one alive before！'
‘Well； now that we HAVE seen each other；' said the Unicorn；
‘if you'll believe in me； I'll believe in you。 Is that a bargain？'
‘Yes； if you like；' said Alice。
‘Come； fetch out the plum…cake； old man！' the Unicorn went on；
turning from her to the King。 ‘None of your brown bread for me！'
‘Certainlycertainly！' the King muttered； and beckoned to
Haigha。 ‘Open the bag！' he whispered。 ‘Quick！ Not that one
that's full of hay！'
Haigha took a large cake out of the bag； and gave it to Alice
to hold； while he got out a dish and carving…knife。 How they all
came out of it Alice couldn't guess。 It was just like a
conjuring…trick； she thought。
The Lion had joined them while this was going on： he looked
very tired and sleepy； and his eyes were half shut。 ‘What's
this！' he said； blinking lazily at Alice； and speaking in a deep
hollow tone that sounded like the tolling of a great bell。
‘Ah； what IS it； now？' the Unicorn cried eagerly。 ‘You'll
never guess！ _I_ couldn't。'
The Lion looked at Alice wearily。 ‘Are you animalvegetable
or mineral？' he said； yawning at every other word。
‘It's a fabulous monster！' the Unicorn cried out； before Alice
could reply。
‘Then hand round the plum…cake； Monster；' the Lion said； lying
down and putting his chin on this paws。 ‘And sit down； both of
you；' （to the King and the Unicorn）： ‘fair play with the cake；
you know！'
The King was evidently very uncomfortable at having to sit down
between the two great creatures； but there was no other place for him。
‘What a fight we might have for the crown； NOW！' the Unicorn
said； looking slyly up at the crown； which the poor King was
nearly shaking off his head； he trembled so much。
‘I should win easy；' said the Lion。
‘I'm not so sure of that；' said the Unicorn。
‘Why； I beat you all round the town； you chicken！' the Lion
replied angrily； half getting up as he spoke。
Here the King interrupted； to prevent the quarrel going on： he
was very nervous； and his voice quite quivered。 ‘All round the
town？' he said。 ‘That's a good long way。 Did you go by the old
bridge； or the market…place？ You get the best view by the old
bridge。'
‘I'm sure I don't know；' the Lion growled out as he lay down
again。 ‘There was too much dust to see anything。 What a time
the Monster is； cutting up that cake！'
Alice had seated herself on the bank of a little brook； with
the great dish on her knees； and was sawing away diligently with
the knife。 ‘It's very provoking！' she said； in reply to the Lion
（she was getting quite used to being called ‘the Monster'）。
‘I've cut several slices already； but they always join on again！'
‘You don't know how to manage Looking…glass cakes；' the Unicorn
remarked。 ‘Hand it round first； and cut it afterwards。'
This sounded nonsense； but Alice v