Books at Bedtime Alice in Wonderland

Chapter 6 Pig and Pepper

For a minute or two she stood looking at the house and wondering what to do next

when suddenly a footman in livery came running out of the wood.

She considered him to be a footman because he was in livery.

Otherwise, judging by his face only, she would have called him a fish and wrapped loudly

at the door with his knuckles.

It was opened by another footman in livery with a round

face and large eyes like a frog, and both footmen, Alice noted, had powdered hair that curled

all over their heads. She felt very curious to know that this was all about and crept a little way out of the wood to listen.

The fish footman began by producing from under his arm a great letter, nearly as large as himself.

And this he handed over to the other, saying in a solemn tone,

for the Duchess an invitation from the Queen to play croquet.

The Frog footman repeated in the same solemn tone,

only changing the order of the words a little.

From the Queen an invitation for the Duchess to play croquet.

Then they both bowed low and their curls got entangled together.

Alice laughed so heartily at this that she had to run back into the woods for fear of their hearing her.

And when she next peeped out, the fish footman was gone, and the other was sitting

on the ground near the door, staring stupidly up at the sky.

Alice went timidly up to the door and knocked.

There's no sort of use in knocking, said the footman, and that for two reasons.

...