El gato que ríe

# El Gato que Ríe

This Spanish-language pulp story by Curtis Garland follows Alicia Kendall, a twenty-year-old Londoner from a wealthy East End family who dreams of adventure beyond her monotonous Victorian existence. She reads and rereads Alice in Wonderland, imagining a more fantastical life. When her Uncle Gart returns from India—where he served as a captain in the Khyber Rifles and suffered a war wound—Alicia anticipates the exotic stories and excitement he promises. At their reunion at the docks, the darkened, distinguished officer shows particular interest in his young niece. He entertains her with tales of India, tigers, and rebellion, encouraging her to reject London's stifling social conventions. Their bond deepens as he reads Alice aloud to her in the garden. The narrative hints ominously that alongside the marvels Uncle Gart brings, horror and death will soon intrude upon Alicia's sheltered world.