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ALICES EVIDENCE. 179
_ ©What do you know about this business?”
the King said to Alice.
Wee ae Nothing,” said Alice.
‘Nothing whatever?” persisted the King.
‘Nothing whatever,” said Alice.
“That’s very important, the King said, turn¬
ing to the jury. They were just begining to
write this down on their slates, when the White
Rabbit interrupted: ‘‘ Unimportant, your Majesty
means, of course,” he said in a very respectful
tone, but frowning and making faces at him as
he spoke.
‘“ Unimportant, of course, | meant,” the King
hastily said, and went on to himself in an under¬
tone, “important—unimportant—unimportant—im¬
portant” as if he were trying which word
sounded best.
Some of the jury wrote it down “ important,”
and some “unimportant.” Alice could see this,
as she was near enough to look over their slates:
“but it doesn’t matter a bit,” she thought to
herself.