Which Alice?

Which Alice? Which Alice?

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The White Knight Couldn't Quite Remember Alice. "One doesn't have to remember that; it's a simple matter of logic!" "Quite right," said the Knight, "and yet I seem to remember it so vividly!" "Anything else you remember?" asked Alice. "Well, a few days ago I met the Gentleman dressed in white paper — the one you once met on the train. He was unable to attend this trial, but he was quite interested in what happened, since he personally knew each of the three defendants. I told him all I have told you so far, and, in addition, I remembered at the time whether it was that the Goat had lied or whether it was that the two Insects had told the truth. When I told him which, he was able to determine whether the Goat was convicted, acquitted, or whether the Court was undecided." Was the Goat convicted, acquitted, or was the Court undecided? THE MOST BAFFLING CASE OF ALL Of all the trials that the White Knight recounted, the one that follows is the one that remained most firmly in Alice's memory. At first it seemed so utterly impossible to solve, and yet, with further reflection, it completely succumbed to logical analysis. "In this trial," began the White Knight, "there were again three defendants, and only one was guilty. The first defendant either claimed that he was innocent, or he claimed he was guilty, but I can't remember which. Then the second defendant either claimed that he was innocent, or he claimed to be guilty, but again I can't remember which. Then the third defendant either accused the first defendant, or he claimed that the first defendant was innocent, but again I cannot remember which. However, I vividly remember that at most one of the three statements was true. "Last month," continued the Knight, "I met the Jabberwocky and I told him all I have told you so far. Also, at that time, I remembered what each of the three defendants said, and when I told the Jabberwocky what each had said, he was able to solve the case." 111

The White Knight Couldn't Quite Remember<br />

<strong>Alice</strong>. "One doesn't have to remember that; it's a simple matter of<br />

logic!"<br />

"Quite right," said the Knight, "and yet I seem to remember it so<br />

vividly!"<br />

"Anything else you remember?" asked <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"Well, a few days ago I met the Gentleman dressed in white<br />

paper — the one you once met on the train. He was unable to attend<br />

this trial, but he was quite interested in what happened, since he<br />

personally knew each of the three defendants. I told him all I have<br />

told you so far, and, in addition, I remembered at the time whether<br />

it was that the Goat had lied or whether it was that the two Insects<br />

had told the truth. When I told him which, he was able to determine<br />

whether the Goat was convicted, acquitted, or whether the Court<br />

was undecided."<br />

Was the Goat convicted, acquitted, or was the Court undecided?<br />

THE MOST BAFFLING CASE OF ALL Of all the trials that the<br />

White Knight recounted, the one that follows is the one that<br />

remained most firmly in <strong>Alice</strong>'s memory. At first it seemed so<br />

utterly impossible to solve, and yet, with further reflection, it<br />

completely succumbed to logical analysis.<br />

"In this trial," began the White Knight, "there were again three<br />

defendants, and only one was guilty. The first defendant either<br />

claimed that he was innocent, or he claimed he was guilty, but I<br />

can't remember which. Then the second defendant either claimed<br />

that he was innocent, or he claimed to be guilty, but again I can't<br />

remember which. Then the third defendant either accused the first<br />

defendant, or he claimed that the first defendant was innocent, but<br />

again I cannot remember which. However, I vividly remember that<br />

at most one of the three statements was true.<br />

"Last month," continued the Knight, "I met the Jabberwocky and<br />

I told him all I have told you so far. Also, at that time, I<br />

remembered what each of the three defendants said, and when I<br />

told the Jabberwocky what each had said, he was able to solve the<br />

case."<br />

111

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