University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

Page 40 text:

3S EAST AND WEST Yes, I was,', returned the Green Dragon, because this wasn't here then. It was there. There is where I always was, And here is where I always am, And where I was, you always are, And where l are, you never am. Thats science, said the Green Dragon. 'But now it's time for tea. Won't you waste your precious time in my untidy house for a few moments, and taste a little of my very poor tea ? Without waiting for an answer, he led the way toward a small house that Alice had not noticed before. Alice found the house very neat and tidy. Her attention was at- tracted, however, by a large bunch of keys hanging on the wall,-quite the largest bunch of keys that she had ever seen. Then she observed that everything in the room had a lock on it. The table was padloeked to the floor, and the pictures were locked to the walls, and even the waste paper basket had a straw cover, and a padlock attached to one side. How do you like my untidy and inconvenient house, inquired the Green Dragon. Really, replied Alice, I think it is very pleasant, but I should like to know what all these locks are for. The Green Dragon got up, and drawing his chair close to hers began to whisper in her ear. Alice was not accustomed to having dragons whisper in her ear, but she bore it as well as she could, for she really wanted very much to know about the locks. You see, began the dragon, my servant is very dishonest. I have had such a time with him. And he became worse and worse. Besides being very dishonest., he is also very clever, so I was always unable to find him out. So, of course, I eouldn't send him away. U Why not? asked Alice. Why not? repeated the dragon. Why not? What a question! Why, because I didn't see him take the things, of course. But you knew he took them, argued Alice. The dragon sighed. Yes, I knew he took them, but then, he alwayg said he didn't, and he invented such clever tales that nobody would have believed me if I had said they were false. And then the dragon sighed again. But presently he brightened up and went on. But I have out-

Page 39 text:

THE L1NcU1s'r 37 The old man looked at her in surprise. You have to wait- until they yogill tO play before you find that out. Then you arrange the rest accord- lngly- The important thing is, first, East is East. The second most Ullpcrtant thing is,'West is West. Then he paused for so long a time that Alice began to be afraid he had forgotten all about her. Just as she was frying to make up her mind whether to speak to him again or to go away, he Went on. And that's what the game's aboutf, What game ? i' said Alice. Oh, all this, said the old man, waving his arms about. You FGG, they want to meet, and Mr. Kipling says they never can, but then he 'Suit here any more. VVe're all in it, he added. f'You see, the West EGGS clockwise, and the East goes counterclockwise, and there is a lot of Stuff in between. What kind of stuff 2 asked Alice, and between where? Between the East and the West,- all kinds of stuff. Red Tape and Manners and Chopsticks and Joss sticks and Jazz. But they are gradually getting it cleared away. They send the chopsticks west and the jazz east and countercloekwise. Then they invert the reviser and proceed as in multiplication. It takes a long time to learn to play. How do you begin? i' asked Alice. You begin by breaking the wall, replied the old 1113111- Just at this point, the same loud voice that Alice had heard before, ' l . Y Called out, Ol' man Jesse,-I say,-where are you? fha dice have finished their tiffin, and it's time to begin! whereupon the old man hurried away, which Alice thought was very exasperating since she was just beginning to get interested. The voice began again Womiogly: The Wall's going to break! You'd better stand off a bit. Alice hurried away as fast as she could, and was really making very good headway when She Cilllght her foot in the root of a tree, and very nearly fell headlong- This will never do,'i she heard the voice Say, H1111 lookins down She Perceived that she had tripped in a loop of the GFGG11 DFQSOWS tail' Oh, I'm very sorry, said Alice apologetically- I Clldnili know yOU Were there. 1 ' a I'n1 11Otg 1,111 here, said the Green Dragon' HI m olW5YySl101'0-H Not always, ventured Alice, because when I Saw y011 before you werent here, you know. . N Mm, R M' s'-N, r

Page 41 text:

THE LINGUIST 39 Witted him at last. And this is what I did. I bought all those padlocks, and locked everything up, and then-- and then,- the Green Dragon 805 greener than ever in his excitement- and then, I gave kim the keys .1 H Alice burst out laughing. It was all so ridiculous that she eouldn't helP it. So now, I suppose, he can take anything he likes, she said as 50011 as she could speak. Why, not at all, replied the Green Dragon. Now he can't take anything, because he knows I know he's get the keys. Don't you see? We the most wonderful idea that ever occurred to anyone. And it's my Gwn invention. But didn't you have anything locked up before? Uh, yes, replied the Dragon, but you see, he didn't have the keys, S0 he stole things because he didn't have the keys, but now he ean't beffuuse he's got the keys,-DONT you see!-the KEYSV' His voice grew louder and louder, and higher and higher, until Alive put her hands Over her ears, and rushed out of the house. She ran for a long time, and Suddenly she found that a. great crowd of people were running with her, red dragons and green dragons and white dragons, flowers and Seasons and characters and circles, all mixed up together, and all shouting, '!The wall is broken! The wall is broken! The East is going to 111003 the West. The queues have gone! And the chopsticks are going! and with that the whole crowd began to rise up into the air like bi1'dS, leaving Alice Danting and fanning herself, and staring after them. She was just feeling a great flood of relief at being alone once more When she heard a rushing and a shuffiing, and the shrill voice of the Green Dragon screaming, He couldn't do it because he had the KEYS! Alice thrust out her arm to keep off the Green Dragon who was bearing down Upon her, when suddenly she found herself in her own bedroom, clutching the house-boy by the arm. He was saying, Missy, can doo: U0 Carl Catch dinner. No have get keys.