X. THE MAD TEA-PARTY.

This is the Mad Tea-Party. You see Alice had left the Cheshire-Cat, and had gone off to see the March Hare¹ and the Hatter, as the Cheshire-Cat had advised her: and she found them having tea under a great tree, with a Dormouse sitting between them.

There were only those three at the table, but there were quantities of tea-cups set all along it. You ca’n’t see all the table, you know, and even in the bit you can see there are nine cups, counting the one the March Hare has got in his hand.

That’s the March Hare, with the long ears, and straws² mixed up with his hair. The straws[38] showed he was mad——I don’t know why. Never twist³ up straws among your hair, for fear people should think you’re mad!

There was a nice green arm-chair at the end of the table, that looked as if it was just meant for Alice: so she went and sat down in it.

Then she had quite a long talk with the March Hare and the Hatter. The Dormouse didn’t say much. You see it was fast asleep generally, and it only just woke up for a moment, now and then.

As long as it was asleep, it was very useful to the March Hare and the Hatter, because it had a nice round soft head, just like a pillow⁴: so they could put their elbows on it, and lean⁵ across it, and talk to each other quite comfortably. You wouldn’t like people to use your head for a pillow, would you? But if you were fast asleep, like the Dormouse, you wouldn’t feel it: so I suppose you wouldn’t care about it.
Alice, March Hare, and Mad Hatter at a table laid for tea

I’m afraid they gave Alice very little to eat and drink. However, after a bit, she helped herself to some tea and bread-and-butter: only[39] I don’t quite see where she got the bread-and-butter: and she had no plate for it. Nobody seems to have a plate except the Hatter. I believe the March Hare must have had one as well: because, when they all moved one place on (that was the rule at this curious tea-party), and Alice had to go into the place of the March Hare, she found he had just upset the milk-jug into his plate. So I suppose[40] his plate and the milk-jug are hidden behind that large tea-pot.

The Hatter used to carry about hats to sell: and even the one that he’s got on his head is meant to be sold. You see it’s got its price marked on it——a “10” and a “6”——that means⁶ “ten shillings⁷ and sixpence.” Wasn’t that a funny way of selling hats? And hasn’t he got a beautiful neck-tie on? Such a lovely yellow tie, with large red spots.

He has just got up to say to Alice “Your hair wants cutting!” That was a rude thing to say, wasn’t it? And do you think her hair does want cutting? I think it’s a very pretty length——just the right length.

1 hare   

n.野兔

参考例句：

• The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping.兔子正睡觉时，乌龟赢得了比赛。
• I saw a hare in my backyard this morning.今天早晨我看见后院有一只野兔。

2 straws   

n.稻草( straw的名词复数 )；麦秆；吸管；毫无价值的东西

参考例句：

• There are a lot of straws in the shed. 棚子里有许多稻草。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These stories of arms build-up along the board are straws in the wind. 关于边境一带军事集结的传闻可能是出事的预兆。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 twist   

n.一扭，扭曲，曲折，歪曲，螺旋状，手法；vt.拧，扭曲，捻，编织，使扭转，缠绕，盘绕

参考例句：

• Too much force will twist the key.用力过猛会把钥匙扭弯。
• Pull the wire tight and then twist the ends round.把金属线拉紧，然后把两头捻紧.

4 pillow   

n.枕头；枕垫；vt.作…的枕头；垫；枕于；vi.靠在枕上

参考例句：

• He fell asleep as soon as he touched the pillow.他脑袋一碰枕头就睡着了。
• She was found asleep on a pillow of leaves.有人看见她枕着树叶睡着了。

5 lean   

n.瘦肉，倾斜，弯曲；adj.瘦的，贫乏的，歉收的；v.倚靠，倾斜，依赖

参考例句：

• The seats have no back against which to lean.这些座位都没有靠背可倚。
• Please don't lean your chair back,you'll break it.请不要坐在椅子上往后仰，你会把椅子弄坏的。

6 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

7 shillings   

n.先令（英国1971年以前的货币单位，为一镑的二十分之一）( shilling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The charge for labor works out at almost ten shillings an hour. 付给工人的费用算下来每小时差不多十先令。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I will venture five shillings on it. 我愿为它赌五先令。 来自《简明英汉词典》