“唉,這就完了!”帽匠說,“你最不高興人家按住它打了。如果你同它好,它會讓鐘表聽你的話,譬如說,現在是早上九點鐘,正是上學的時間,你只要悄悄地對時間說一聲,鐘表就會一下子轉到一點半,該吃午飯了!”
`Of course you don't!' the Hatter said, tossing his head contemptuously. `I dare say you never even spoke to Time!'
`Perhaps not,' Alice cautiously replied: `but I know I have to beat time when I learn music.'
`Ah! that accounts for it,' said the Hatter. `He won't stand beating. Now, if you only kept on good terms with him, he'd do almost anything you liked with the clock. For instance, suppose it were nine o'clock in the morning, just time to begin lessons: you'd only have to whisper a hint to Time, and round goes the clock in a twinkling! Half-past one, time for dinner!'
(`I only wish it was,' the March Hare said to itself in a whisper.)
`That would be grand, certainly,' said Alice thoughtfully: `but then--I shouldn't be hungry for it, you know.'
`Not at first, perhaps,' said the Hatter: `but you could keep it to half-past one as long as you liked.'
`Is that the way YOU manage?' Alice asked.