Page:Complete Works of Lewis Carroll.djvu/731

Rh and in another moment the Monster had got out, and was trampUng down the terrified, shrieking spectators.

But the Professor's presence of mind did not desert him. "Undraw those curtains!" he shouted. It was done. The Monster gathered its legs together, and in one tremendous bound vanished into the sky.

"Where is it?" said the Emperor, rubbing his eyes.

"In the next Province, I fancy," the Professor rephed. "That jump would take it at least five miles! The next thing is to explain a Process or two. But I find there is hardly room enough to operate — the smaller animal is rather in my way — "

"Who does he mean?" Bruno whispered to Sylvie.

"He means you! Sylvie whispered back. "Hush!"

"Be kind enough to move — angularly — to this corner," the Professor said, addressing himself to Bruno.

Bruno hastily moved his chair in the direction indicated. "Did I move angrily enough?" he inquired. But the Professor was once more absorbed in his Lecture, which he was reading from his note-book.

"I will now explain the Process of — the name is blotted, I'm sorry to say. It will be illustrated by a number of— of— " here he examined the page for some time, and at last said "It seems to be either 'Experiments' or 'Speci- mens'—"

"Let it be Experiments said the Emperor. "We've seen plenty of Specimens."

"Certainly, certainly!" the Professor assented. "We will have some Experiments."

"May I do them?" Bruno eagerly asked.

"Oh dear no!" The Professor looked dismayed. "I really don't know what would happen if you did them!"

"Nor nobody doosn't know what'll happen if oo doos them!" Bruno retorted.