Part 21
Who Stole the Tarts?
Lizzie was dreaming again.
Another day gone. Not an unpleasant day. Far from it—the land she was in was lovely, the people interesting, friendly and fun, Conrad was locked in his tower unable to spoil her day but even from there he was interfering with her in her dreams—it was just that Lizzie wanted to go home.
Another night of rest. A pleasing prospect? Perhaps, but Lizzie was a little frightened about falling asleep. What might Conrad try now?
She drifted off.
A rather sweet dream it seemed to be to Lizzie as she stood outside a rather quaint gothic building with a great wooden door. There seemed no danger. She pushed at the door, opening it and went into a courthouse.
The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne with a great crowd assembled about them—all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the other. In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, that it made Lizzie quite hungry to look at them—"I wish they'd get the trial done," she thought, "and hand round the refreshments!" But there seemed to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about her, to pass away the time.
Lizzie had never been in a court of justice before, but she had read about them in books, and she was quite pleased to find that she knew the name of nearly everything there. "That's the judge," she said to herself, "because of his great wig."
The judge, by the way, was the King; and as he wore his crown over the wig, he did not look at all comfortable, and it was certainly not becoming.
"And that's the jury-box," thought Lizzie, "and those twelve creatures," (she was obliged to say 'creatures,' you see, because some of them were animals, and some were birds,) "I suppose they are the jurors. This must be the trial of the Knave of Hearts, yes there he is, looking downcast"
The twelve jurors were all writing very busily on slates.
"What are they doing?" Lizzie whispered to the Gryphon. "They can't have anything to put down yet, before the trial's begun."
"They're putting down their names," the Gryphon whispered in reply, "for fear they should forget them before the end of the trial."
"Stupid things!" Lizzie began in a loud, indignant voice, but she stopped hastily, for the White Rabbit cried out, "Silence in the court!" and the King put on his spectacles and looked anxiously round, to make out who was talking.
"Herald, read the accusation!" said the King.
On this the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and then unrolled the parchment scroll, and read as follows:—
'The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts,
All on a summer day:
The Maid of Hearts, she stole those tarts,
And took them quite away!'
"Consider your verdict," the King said to the jury.
"Not yet, not yet!' the Rabbit hastily interrupted. "There's a great deal to come before that!"
"Bring the prisoner forward then, and be quick about it."
Lizzie looked at the Knave but to her surprise the Rabbit pushed at her urging her forward. All eyes were on her and several of the jury, not least a bright yellow and black wasp she had not noticed at first, were pointing at her, whispering and shaking their heads.
"This is not how it is in the book," thought Lizzie recognising the wasp as Conrad. Once again he was invading her dreams, invading her mind, but now from his lonely sojourn in the Tower Innominate. "There is certainly no wasp in Wonderland and it is the Knave of Hearts who stole the tarts."
"Call the first witness," said the King; and the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and called out, "First witness!"
The first witness was the Hatter. He came in with a teacup in one hand and a piece of bread-and-butter in the other. "I beg pardon, your Majesty,' he began, 'for bringing these in: but I hadn't quite finished my tea when I was sent for."
"You ought to have finished,' said the King. 'When did you begin?'
The Hatter looked at the March Hare, who had followed him into the court, arm-in-arm with the Dormouse. "Fourteenth of March, I think it was," he said. The Dormouse sat down next to Lizzie looking quite worn out.
"Fifteenth," said the March Hare.
"Sixteenth," added the Dormouse.
"Write that down," the King said to the jury, and the jury eagerly wrote down all three dates on their slates, and then added them up, and reduced the answer to shillings and pence.
"Three shillings and nine pence," said Conrad quickly and loudly (and smugly).
The Queen glared at him.
Just at this moment Lizzie felt a very curious sensation, which she recognised: she was beginning to grow larger again, and she thought at first she would get up and leave the court; but she was the prisoner and would have to remain where she was as long as there was room for her. She was growing away from being a little girl and back into being a young woman again. Her dress was filling out as her breasts pushed the front of her dress away from her.
"I wish you wouldn't squeeze so," said the Dormouse, who was sitting next to her. "I can hardly breathe."
"I can't help it,' said Lizzie very meekly: "I'm growing."