"The dog would lose its temper, wouldn't it ?" "Perhaps it would," Alice replied cautiously.
"Then if the dog went away, its temper would remain!" the Queen exclaimed triumphantly.
Alice said, as gravely as she could, "They might go different ways." But she couldn't help thinking to herself, "What dreadful nonsense we ARE talking!" "She can't do sums a BIT!" the Queens said together, with great emphasis.
"Can YOU do sums ?" Alice said, turning suddenly on the White Queen, for she didn't like being found fault with so much.
The Queen gasped and shut her eyes.

"I can do Addition, if you give me time--but I can do Subtraction, under ANY circumstances!" "Of course you know your A B C ?" said the Red Queen.
"To be sure I do." said Alice.
"So do I," the White Queen whispered: "we'll often say it over together, dear.

And I'll tell you a secret--I can read words of one letter! Isn't THAT grand! However, don't be discouraged.

You'll come to it in time." Here the Red Queen began again.

"Can you answer useful questions ?" she said.