Chapter 10
The Lobster-QuadrilleThe Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper
across his eyes. He looked at Alice and tried to speak, but, for a
minute or two, sobs choked his voice. “Same as if he had a bone in
his throat,” said the Gryphon; and it set to work shaking him and
punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his
voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on
again:—
“You may not have lived much under the sea—” (“I haven’t,” said
Alice)—“and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster—”
(Alice began to say “I once tasted——” but checked herself hastily,
and said “No, never”) “——so you can have no idea what a delightful
thing a Lobster-Quadrille is!”
“No, indeed,” said Alice. “What sort of a dance is it?”
“Why,” s
