It's the feelings, it turns out, that cause Wonderlanders to live so much longer than Oysters. Emotions burn through life-forces like nothing Hatter had ever seen. No wonder the Queen had been able to keep things going for so long after the Looking-Glass closed. Oysters feel something about everything.

The first time he realized this, he & Alice had been out for a walk and passed a shop with a truly delectable aroma winding out into the street.

"Oh, that smells amazing!" Alice practically moaned the words & ushered Hatter inside. The smell was quite good, he had to admit, and the taste, more so. But it brought home the realization that even his Little Oyster had no idea how strongly she felt. She liked this 'ice cream' so much, she thought she loved it.

It suddenly occurred to him that he was not immune to these intense emotions, he was burning too. Every glance, touch, sound from his Little Oyster set him aflame in an entirely enjoyable way. If his previously looong life expectancy yielded this in exchange, he would give up the years with a smile. As long as he had Alice, he would burn, and burn gladly.