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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.

At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily

writing in his note-book, cackled out "Silence!" and read out

from his book, "Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high

to leave the court."

Everybody looked at Alice.

"I'm not a mile high," said Alice.

"You are," said the King.

"Nearly two miles high," added the Queen.

"Well, I shan'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.