At this moment the King, who had been for some time busily writing in his note-book, called out “ Silence !” and read out from his book, “Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.”
Everybody looked at Alice.
“I’m not a mile high,” said Alice.
“You are,” said the King.
“Nearly two miles high,” added the Queen.
“Well, I shan’t go, at any rate,” said Alice; “besides, that ’s not a regular rule : you invented it just now.”
“It’s the oldest rule in the book,” said the King.