[_She tries to open the doors. They are all locked; she begins to weep. She walks weeping to a high glass table and sits down on its lower ledge. She sits on a big golden key and picks it up in surprise. She tries it on all the doors but it does not fit. She weeps and weeps--and Wonderland grows dark to her in her despair. In the darkness she cries, "Oh! I'm slipping! Oh, Oh! it's a lake; Oh! my tears! I'm floating!" A mysterious light shows a "Drink me" sign around a bottle on the top of the table. ALICE floats up to it panting, and holding on to the edge of the table takes up the bottle._] ALICE It isn't marked poison. [_She sips at it._] This is good! Tastes like cherry tart, custard, pineapple, roast turkey, toffy and hot buttered toast--all together. Oh! Oh! I'm letting out like a telescope. [_A mysterious light shows her lengthening out._] [_Music._] But the lake is rising too. Oh! Oh! it's deep! I'm drowning. Help, help, I'm drowning, I'm drowning in my tears! GRYPHON Hjckrrh. Hjckrrh! [_The GRYPHON, a huge green creature with big glittering wings, appears where HUMPTY DUMPTY had been and reaches glittering claws over to grab and save ALICE._] SCENE FOUR _Is symbolic of a wet and rocky shore in a weird green light. The MOCK TURTLE is weeping dismally._ GRYPHON Hjckrrh. Hjckrrh. Hjckrrh. MOCK TURTLE [_Answers with his weeping._] GRYPHON [_Drags ALICE in._] Drop your tears into the sea with his. ALICE He sobs as if he had a bone in his throat. He sighs as if his heart would break. What is his sorrow? MOCK TURTLE Oh, Gryphon, it's terrible! GRYPHON It's all his fancy that. Mock Turtle hasn't got no sorrow. This here young lady, she wants for to know your history, she do. MOCK TURTLE I'll tell it her. Sit down both of you, and don't speak a word till I've finished. ALICE I don't see how you can _ever_ finish, if you don't begin. MOCK TURTLE Once, I was a real Turtle. [_A long silence is broken only by the exclamations, "Hjckrrh," of the GRYPHON and the heavy sobbing of the MOCK TURTLE._] MOCK TURTLE When we were little, we went to school in the sea. The master was an old Turtle--we used to call him tortoise-- ALICE Why did you call him Tortoise, if he wasn't one? MOCK TURTLE We called him Tortoise because he taught us; really you are very dull. GRYPHON You ought to be ashamed of yourself for asking such a simple question. Drive on, old fellow! Don't be all day about it! MOCK TURTLE Yes, we went to school in the sea, tho' you mayn't believe it-- ALICE I never said I didn't. MOCK TURTLE You did. GRYPHON Hold your tongue! MOCK TURTLE We had the best of educations--in fact, we went to school every day. ALICE I've been to a day school too; you needn't be so proud as all that. MOCK TURTLE With extras? ALICE Yes, we learned French and music. MOCK TURTLE And washing? ALICE Certainly not! [Illustration] MOCK TURTLE