The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice, and tried to speak, but for a minute or two sobs choked his voice. 'Same as if he had a bone in his throat,' said the Gryphon: and it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:--'You may not have lived much under the sea--' ('I haven't,' said Alice)-- 'and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster--' (Alice began to say 'I once tasted--' but checked herself hastily, and said 'No, never') '--so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster Quadrille is!'
素甲鱼深深地叹息着,用一只手背抹着眼泪,瞧着爱丽丝想说话,可是有好一阵子泣不成声。“好像他嗓子里卡了根骨头。”鹰头狮说。于是就摇它和拍它的背。终于素甲鱼能开口说话了,它一面流着眼泪,一面说:“你可能没在海底下住过很久。”(“从来没住过,”爱丽丝说)“你也许从来不认识龙虾吧!”(爱丽丝刚想说“我吃过……”,但立即改口,说“从来没有”),“所以你一点也想不到龙虾四组舞有多么好玩。”

'No, indeed,' said Alice. 'What sort of a dance is it?'
“是啊,”爱丽丝说,“那是一种什么舞呢?”

'Why,' said the Gryphon, 'you first form into a line along the sea-shore--'
鹰头狮说:“先是在海岸边站成一排……”

'Two lines!' cried the Mock Turtle. 'Seals, turtles, salmon, and so on; then, when you've cleared all the jelly-fish out of the way--'
“两排!”素甲鱼叫道,“海豹、乌龟和娃鱼都排好队。然后,把所有的水母都清扫掉……”

'THAT generally takes some time,' interrupted the Gryphon.
“这常常得费一阵工夫呢!”鹰头狮插嘴说。

'--you advance twice--'
“然后,向前进两步……”

'Each with a lobster as a partner!' cried the Gryphon.
“每个都有一只龙虾作舞伴!”鹰头狮叫道。

'Of course,' the Mock Turtle said: 'advance twice, set to partners--'
“当然啦,”素甲鱼说道,“向前进两步,组好舞伴……”

'--change lobsters, and retire in same order,' continued the Gryphon.
“再交换舞伴,向后退两步。”鹰头狮接着说。

'Then, you know,' the Mock Turtle went on, 'you throw the--'
素甲鱼说:“然后你就把龙虾……”

'The lobsters!' shouted the Gryphon, with a bound into the air.
“扔出去!”鹰头狮蹦起来嚷道。

'--as far out to sea as you can--'
“尽你的力把它远远地扔到海里去。”

'Swim after them!' screamed the Gryphon.
“再游着水去追它们。”鹰头狮尖声叫道。

'Turn a somersault in the sea!' cried the Mock Turtle, capering wildly about.
“在海里翻一个筋斗!”素甲鱼叫道,它发疯似地跳来跳去。

'Change lobster's again!' yelled the Gryphon at the top of its voice.
“再交换龙虾!”鹰头狮用最高的嗓门嚷叫。

'Back to land again, and that's all the first figure,' said the Mock Turtle, suddenly dropping his voice; and the two creatures, who had been jumping about like mad things all this time, sat down again very sadly and quietly, and looked at Alice.
“再回到陆地上,再……这就是舞的第一节。”素甲鱼说。它的声音突然低了下来。于是,这两个刚才像疯子似的跳来跳去的动物,又坐了下来,非常安静而又悲伤地瞧着爱丽丝。

'It must be a very pretty dance,' said Alice timidly.
“那一定是挺好看的舞。”爱丽丝胆怯地说。

'Would you like to see a little of it?' said the Mock Turtle.
“你想看一看吗?”素甲鱼问。

'Very much indeed,' said Alice.
“很想看。”爱丽丝说。