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 much at this, that she had to run back into the wood
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 into the sky.

Alice went timidly up to the door and knocked.

"There's no use in knocking," said the Footman, "and that for two
reasons. First, because I'm on the same side of the door as you are;
secondly, because they're making such a noise inside, no one could
possibly hear you." And certainly there was a most extraordinary noise
going on within--a constant howling and sneezing, and every now and then
a great crash, as if a dish or kettle had been broken to pieces.

"Please, then," said Alice, "how am I to get in?"

"There might be some sense in your knocking," the Footman went on
without attending to her, "if we had the door between us. For instance,
if you were _inside_, you might knock, and I could let you out, you
know." He was looking up into the sky all the time he was speaking, and
this Alice thought decidedly uncivil. "But perhaps he can't help it,"
she said to herself: "his eyes are so _very_ nearly at the top of his
head. But at any rate he might answer questions. How am I to get in?"
she repeated aloud.

"I shall sit here," the Footman remarked, "till to-morrow----"

At this moment the door of the house opened, and a large plate came
skimming out, straight at the Footman's head: it just grazed his nose,
and broke to pieces against one of the trees behind him.

"----or next day, maybe," the Footman continued in the same tone,
exactly as if nothing had happened.

"How am I to get in?" asked Alice again in a louder tone.

"_Are_ you to get in at all?" said the Footman. "That's the first
question, you know."

[Illustration]

It was, no doubt: only Alice did not like to be told so. "It's really
dreadful," she muttered to herself, "the way all the creatures argue.
It's enough to drive one crazy!"

The Footman seemed to consider this a good opportunity for repeating his
remark, with variations. "I shall sit here," he said, "on and off, for
days and days."

"But what am _I_ to do?" said Alice.

"Anything you like," said the Footman, and be