Oldal 184 [184]
168 WHO STOLE
dates on their slates, and then added them up,
and reduced the answer to shillings and pence.
“Take off your hat, the King said to the
Hatter.
“Tt isn’t mine,” said the Hatter.
‘“ Stolen!” the King exclaimed, turning to the
jury, who instantly made a memorandum of the
fact.
“T keep them to sell,” the Hatter added as
an explanation: “I’ve none of my own. Im a
hatter.”
Here the Queen put on her spectacles, and
began staring hard at the Hatter, who turned pale
and fidgeted.
‘Give your evidence,” said the King; “and
don’t be nervous, or I'll have you executed on
the spot.”
This did not seem to encourage the witness at
all: he kept shifting from one foot to the other
looking uneasily at the Queen, and in his con¬
fusion he bit a large piece out of his teacup
instead of the bread-and-butter.