There's the room you can see through the glass; it's just the same as our living-room here, only the things go the other way. I can see all of it--all but the bit just behind the fireplace. Oh! I do wish I could see that bit! I want so much to know if they've a fire there. You never _can_ tell, you know, unless our fire smokes. Then smoke comes up in that room too--but that may be just to make it look as if they had a fire--just to pretend they had. The books are something like our books, only the words go the wrong way. Won't there ever be any way of our getting through, uncle? CARROLL Do you think Kitty would find looking-glass milk digestible? ALICE It doesn't sound awful good, does it; but I might leave her at home. She's been into an awful lot of mischief today. She found sister's knitting and chased the ball all over the garden where sister was playing croquet with the neighbors. And I ran and ran after the naughty little thing until I was all out of breath and so tired! I am tired. [_She yawns and makes herself comfortable in the armchair._] CARROLL [_Replaces the playing cards on the mantel and consults his watch._] Take a nap. Yes, you have time before tea. ALICE [_Half asleep._] We're going to have mock turtle soup for supper! I heard mamma tell the cook not to pepper it too much. CARROLL What a funny little rabbit it is, nibbling all the time! [_He leans gently over the back of her chair, and seeing that she is going to sleep puts out the lamp light and leaves the room. A red glow from the fireplace illumines ALICE._] [_Dream music. A bluish light reveals the RED CHESS QUEEN and the WHITE CHESS QUEEN in the mirror._] RED QUEEN [_Points to ALICE and says in a mysterious voice._] There she is, let's call her over. WHITE QUEEN Do you think she'll come? RED QUEEN I'll call softly, Alice! WHITE QUEEN Hist, Alice. RED QUEEN Alice! WHITE QUEEN Hush--if she wakes and catches us-- BOTH QUEENS Alice, come through into looking-glass house! [_Their hands beckon her._] ALICE [_Rises, and talks sleepily. The Queens disappear. ALICE climbs from the arm of the chair to the back of another and so on up to the mantel ledge, where she picks her way daintily between the vases._] I--don't--know--how--I--can--get--through. I've tried--before--but the glass was hard--and I was afraid of cutting--my fingers-- [_She feels the glass and is amazed to find it like gauze._] Why, it's soft like gauze; it's turning into a sort of mist; why, it's easy to get through! _Why--why_--I'm going _through_! [_She disappears._] SCENE TWO [_Is Scene One, reversed. The portieres are black and red squares like a chessboard. A soft radiance follows the characters mysteriously. As the curtain rises ALICE comes through the looking glass; steps down, looks about in wonderment and goes to see if there is a "fire." The RED QUEEN rises out of the grate and faces her haughtily._] ALICE Why, you're the Red Queen! RED QUEEN