'Call the first witness,' said the King; and the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and called out, 'First witness!' The first witness was the Hatter. He came in with a teacup in one hand and a piece of bread-and-butter in the other. 'I beg pardon, your Majesty,' he began, 'for bringing these in: but I hadn't quite finished my tea when I was sent for.' 'You ought to have finished,' said the King. 'When did you begin?'