Wasting Time

"If you knew Time as well as I do," said the Hatter, "you wouldn't talk about wasting it. It's him."
"I don't know what you mean," said Alice.
"Of course you don't!" the Hatter said, tossing his head contemptuously. "I dare say you never even spoke to Time!"
"Perhaps not," Alice cautiously replied; "but I know I have to beat time when I learn music."
"Ah! That accounts for it," said the Hatter. "He wo'n't stand beating."

C'è una bella edizione di Alice (Annotated Alice, 1990, W. W. Norton & C.), commentata da Martin Gardner, per decenni curatore della rubrica 'Mathematical games' del mensile Scientific American (Giochi matematici, nel nostro Le Scienze).