"Mickey Zucker Reichert - Who Killed Humpty Dumpty" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reichert Mickey Zucker)

Hum and Dum bigger, for they stood at her either hand as large as she. Larger, for their shape made
them the size of very round people indeed.
Alice recognized many of the creatures she saw. On a cluster of thrones were seated the red and
black kings and queens she had met when she followed the White Rabbit down his hole, as well as the
black and white royalty she had gotten to know on her adventures through the Looking-Glass. The
Gryphon sat on a chair, wearing a monocle and a white wig. "The judge," Alice guessed aloud, and
several of the animals glanced toward her as she spoke. The kings and queens numbered twelve in all.
"The jury," Alice guessed, proud of her understanding.
The white king's Messengers, Haigha and Hatta, stood stiffly by a door. As Alice and the egg
brothers had appeared in the middle of the room without actually entering, the Messengers seemed quite
agitated. They whispered back and forth all the while. At least, their voices had the hissing quality of
whispers, though they spoke quite loudly; and some of their sentences reached Alice's ears over the
chattering of the crowd. "Really, how rude. How do they expect us to announce them when they won't
use the door like well-bred people?"
The conversation nearest to Alice and her escorts died, the ring widening as more of the guests
noticed her. Soon, the only sound was that of the Queen of Hearts pacing wildly before the other pairs of
royalty shouting, "Off with her head! Off with her head!"
"Not yet, my dear," the King of Hearts soothed softly, though, as he was the only one speaking, his
words reached the assemblage quite plainly. "She must get a fair trial first."
"Very well," agreed the Queen. "A fair trial. Then off with her head!"
Alice winced, glancing around, feeling very sorry for the victim of the Queen's verbal attack. What
use was a fair trial if the punishment remained the same?
Dressed in a tabard and a regal air, the White Rabbit blew a shrill blast on his trumpet. It sounded
more like a scream than music, but it drew the attention of all in the room, including the Queen of Hearts,
who finally went quiet and took her place among the others.
The creatures filed to various corners, leaving Alice and her eggy escort in the center.
"Begin!" hollered the Gryphon judge.
The Rabbit cleared his throat, searching frantically about his person. Finally, he looked at the judge
and confessed, "I cannot find my paper."
"Here, use mine." The Mad Hatter stepped from among the assemblage and plucked a piece of
parchment from his hat band.
The Rabbit raised his head and read loudly, "Style 28. Four pounds. Eight shillings."
Alice glanced about, bewildered. She had not seen so many creatures assembled since the day she
had become a queen in the Looking-Glass land.
"That's not right!" shouted the Queen of Spades.
"It is, too," returned the Hatter. "I set the price myself."
"Well, un-set it," shouted the King of Spades, "and get a different paper."
"My turn! My turn!" shouted Tweedledee, whom Alice now noticed standing amid the others. He
handed a crumpled bit of paper to the Rabbit. "I do so love poetry. I'd give you something longer, but I
don't know how to write."
"Then how could he put even a short poem on paper?" Alice whispered, truly interested.
 "Sssh," said Hum.
"Contrariwise, ssh," Dum added.
Alice went quiet as the Rabbit read:

My girl, Charlotte, is always there
A smile on her beautiful face.
Wherever I am, that's where she is
In a long dress bedecked with fine lace.