ell, I sha'n't go, at any rate," said Alice: "besides, that's not a
regular rule: you invented it just now."

"It's the oldest rule in the book," said the King.

"Then it ought to be Number One," said Alice.

The King turned pale, and shut his note-book hastily. "Consider your
verdict," he said to the jury, in a low trembling voice.

"There's more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty," said the White
Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry: "this paper has just been picked
up."

"What's in it?" said the Queen.

"I haven't opened it yet," said the White Rabbit, "but it seems to be a
letter, written by the prisoner to--to somebody."

"It must have been that," said the King, "unless it was written to
nobody, which isn't usual, you know."

"Who is it directed to?" said one of the jurymen.

"It isn't directed at all," said the White Rabbit; "in fact, there's
nothing written on the _outside_." He unfolded the paper as he spoke,
and added "It isn't a letter after all: it's a set of verses."

"Are they in the prisoner's handwriting?" asked another of the jurymen.

"No, they're not," said the White Rabbit, "and that's the queerest thing
about it." (The jury all looked puzzled.)

"He must have imitated somebody else's hand," said the King. (The jury
all brightened up again.)

"Please your Majesty," said the Knave, "I didn't write it, and they
can't prove that I did: there's no name signed at the end."

"If you didn't sign it," said the King, "that only makes the matter
worse. You _must_ have meant some mischief, or else you'd have signed
your name like an honest man."

There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the first really
clever thing the King had said that day.

"That _proves_ his guilt, of course," said the Queen: "so, off with----"

"It doesn't prove anything of the sort!" said Alice. "Why, you don't
even know what they're about!"

"Read them," said the King.

The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. "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."

There was dead silence in the court, whilst the White Rabbit read out
these verses:--

"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,
(We know it to be true):