But the cat took no kind of notice, so the Queen lifted the cat in her arms, whereupon it gave vent to an awe-inspiring yell.
The door flew violently open, and the Queen, in alarm, let the cat go, and it dashed into the house behind an old woman, but such an ugly old woman that the Queen was quite startled.
"Well, what do you want?" the old woman sod.
"Oh, I want something to eat," the Queen said.
The old woman gave a cunning leer. "Something to eat, my dear young lady," she said, "Why, whatever made you expect to find anything to eat fit for the likes of you in such a place?"
"Oh, I'm not particular," the Queen said; "only I'm very hungry."
"And what will you pay me?" the old woman said.
"I—I can't pay you anything," the Queen said. "You see, I haven't got any money."
The old woman smiled again, in a nasty way. "Oh well," she said, "I'll give you some food, if you'll do a day's work for it."
"What sort of work?" the Queen said. "I'm not very clever at work, you know."