Through the Looking-Glass & what Alice found there

After watching Alice in Wonderland, I couldn’t help reading the book once again. And I like the movie better than the book. Anyhow, there is this particular scene in which Alice has a very hilarious conversation with the Red Queen & the White Queen which I really like.

“Manners are not taught in lessons,” said Alice. “Lessons teach you to do sums, & things of that sort.”

“Can you do Addition?” asked the White Queen. “What’s one & one & one & one & one & one & one & one & one & one?”

“I don’t know, “said Alice. “I lost count.”

“She can’t do Addition,” the Red Queen interrupted. “Can you do Subtraction? Take nine from eight.”

“Nine from eight I can’t you know, “Alice replied very readily: “but-“

“She can’t do Subtraction, said the White Queen. “Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife – what’s the answer to that?”

“I suppose-“Alice was beginning, but the Red Queen answered for her. “Bread-&-butter, of course. Try another Subtraction sum. Take a bone from a dog: what remains?”

Alice considered. “The bone wouldn’t remain, of course, if I took it-& the dog wouldn’t remain: it would come to bite me- & I’m sure I shouldn’t remain!”

“Then you think nothing would remain?” said the Red Queen.

“I think that’s the answer.”

“Wrong, as usual,” said the Red Queen: “the dog’s temper would remain.”

“But I don’t see how-“

“Why look here!” the Red Queen cried. “The dog would lose its temper, wouldn’t it?”

“Perhaps it would,” Alice replied cautiously.

“Then if the dog went away, its temper would remain!” the Queen exclaimed triumphantly.