Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
up in great disgust, and walked off; the Dormouse fell asleep `
` instantly, and neither of the others took the least notice of her `
` going, though she looked back once or twice, half hoping that `
` they would call after her: the last time she saw them, they were `
` trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot. `
` `
` `At any rate I'll never go THERE again!' said Alice as she `
` picked her way through the wood. `It's the stupidest tea-party I `
` ever was at in all my life!' `
` `
` Just as she said this, she noticed that one of the trees had a `
` door leading right into it. `That's very curious!' she thought. `
` `But everything's curious today. I think I may as well go in at once.' `
` And in she went. `
` `
` Once more she found herself in the long hall, and close to the `
` little glass table. `Now, I'll manage better this time,' `
` she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key, `
` and unlocking the door that led into the garden. Then she went `
` to work nibbling at the mushroom (she had kept a piece of it `
` in her pocket) till she was about a foot high: then she walked down `
` the little passage: and THEN--she found herself at last in the `
` beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VIII `
` `
` The Queen's Croquet-Ground `
` `
` `
` A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the `
` roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at `
` it, busily painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious `
` thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and just as she came up `
` to them she heard one of them say, `Look out now, Five! Don't go `
` splashing paint over me like that!' `
` `
` `I couldn't help it,' said Five, in a sulky tone; `Seven jogged `
` my elbow.' `
` `
` On which Seven looked up and said, `That's right, Five! Always `
` lay the blame on others!' `
` `
` `YOU'D better not talk!' said Five. `I heard the Queen say only `
` yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!' `
` `
` `What for?' said the one who had spoken first. `
` `
` `That's none of YOUR business, Two!' said Seven. `
` `
` `Yes, it IS his business!' said Five, `and I'll tell him--it `
` was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions.' `
` `
` Seven flung down his brush, and had just begun `Well, of all `
` the unjust things--' when his eye chanced to fall upon Alice, as `
` she stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly: the `
` others looked round also, and all of them bowed low. `
` `
` `Would you tell me,' said Alice, a little timidly, `why you are `
` painting those roses?' `
` `
` Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two. Two began in a `
` low voice, `Why the fact is, you see, Miss, this here ought to `
` have been a RED rose-tree, and we put a white one in by mistake; `
` and if the Queen was to find it out, we should all have our heads `
` cut off, you know. So you see, Miss, we're doing our best, afore `
` she comes, to--' At this moment Five, who had been anxiously `
` looking across the garden, called out `The Queen! The Queen!' `
` and the three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon `
` their faces. There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice `
` looked round, eager to see the Queen. `
` `
` First came ten soldiers carrying clubs; these were all shaped `
` like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and `
` feet at the corners: next the ten courtiers; these were `
` ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the `
` soldiers did. After these came the royal children; there were `
` ten of them, and the little dears came jumping merrily along hand `
` in hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts. Next `
` came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice `
` recognised the White Rabbit: it was talking in a hurried nervous `
` manner, smiling at everything that was said, and went by without `
` noticing her. Then followed the Knave of Hearts, carrying the `
` King's crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this `
` grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS. `
` `
` Alice was rather doubtful whether she ought not to lie down on `
` her face like the three gardeners, but she could not remember `
` ever having heard of such a rule at processions; `and besides, `
` what would be the use of a procession,' thought she, `if people `
` had all to lie down upon their faces, so that they couldn't see it?' `
` So she stood still where she was, and waited. `
` `
` When the procession came opposite to Alice, they all stopped `
` and looked at her, and the Queen said severely `Who is this?' `
` She said it to the Knave of Hearts, who only bowed and smiled in reply. `
` `
` `Idiot!' said the Queen, tossing her head impatiently; and, `
` turning to Alice, she went on, `What's your name, child?' `
` `
` `My name is Alice, so please your Majesty,' said Alice very `
` politely; but she added, to herself, `Why, they're only a pack of `
` cards, after all. I needn't be afraid of them!' `
` `
` `And who are THESE?' said the Queen, pointing to the three `
` gardeners who were lying round the rosetree; for, you see, as `
` they were lying on their faces, and the pattern on their backs `
` was the same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell whether `
` they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or three of her `
` own children. `
` `
` `How should I know?' said Alice, surprised at her own courage. `
` `It's no business of MINE.' `
` `
` The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her `
` for a moment like a wild beast, screamed `Off with her head! `
` Off--' `
` `
` `Nonsense!' said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the `
` Queen was silent. `
` `
` The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said `
` `Consider, my dear: she is only a child!' `
` `
` The Queen turned angrily away from him, and said to the Knave `
` `Turn them over!' `
` `
` The Knave did so, very carefully, with one foot. `
` `
` `Get up!' said the Queen, in a shrill, loud voice, and the `
` three gardeners instantly jumped up, and began bowing to the `
` King, the Queen, the royal children, and everybody else. `
` `
` `Leave off that!' screamed the Queen. `You make me giddy.' `
` And then, turning to the rose-tree, she went on, `What HAVE you `
` been doing here?' `
` `
` `May it please your Majesty,' said Two, in a very humble tone, `
` going down on one knee as he spoke, `we were trying--' `
` `
` `I see!' said the Queen, who had meanwhile been examining the `
` roses. `Off with their heads!' and the procession moved on, `
` three of the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate `
` gardeners, who ran to Alice for protection. `
` `
` `You shan't be beheaded!' said Alice, and she put them into a `
` large flower-pot that stood near. The three soldiers wandered `
` about for a minute or two, looking for them, and then quietly `
` marched off after the others. `
` `
` `Are their heads off?' shouted the Queen. `
` `
` `Their heads are gone, if it please your Majesty!' the soldiers `
` shouted in reply. `
` `
` `That's right!' shouted the Queen. `Can you play croquet?' `
` `
` The soldiers were silent, and looked at Alice, as the question `
` was evidently meant for her. `
` `
` `Yes!' shouted Alice. `
` `
` `Come on, then!' roared the Queen, and Alice joined the `
` procession, wondering very much what would happen next. `
` `
` `It's--it's a very fine day!' said a timid voice at her side. `
` She was walking by the White Rabbit, who was peeping anxiously `
` into her face. `
` `
` `Very,' said Alice: `--where's the Duchess?' `
` `
` `Hush! Hush!' said the Rabbit in a low, hurried tone. He `
` looked anxiously over his shoulder as he spoke, and then raised `
` himself upon tiptoe, put his mouth close to her ear, and `
` whispered `She's under sentence of execution.' `
` `
` `What for?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Did you say "What a pity!"?' the Rabbit asked. `
` `
` `No, I didn't,' said Alice: `I don't think it's at all a pity. `
` I said "What for?"' `
` `
` `She boxed the Queen's ears--' the Rabbit began. Alice gave a `
` little scream of laughter. `Oh, hush!' the Rabbit whispered in a `
` frightened tone. `The Queen will hear you! You see, she came `
` rather late, and the Queen said--' `
` `
` `Get to your places!' shouted the Queen in a voice of thunder, `
` and people began running about in all directions, tumbling up `
` against each other; however, they got settled down in a minute or `
` two, and the game began. Alice thought she had never seen such a `
` curious croquet-ground in her life; it was all ridges and `
` furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live `
` flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to `
` stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches. `
` `
` The chief difficulty Alice found at first was in managing her `
` flamingo: she succeeded in getting its body tucked away, `
` comfortably enough, under her arm, with its legs hanging down, `
`
` instantly, and neither of the others took the least notice of her `
` going, though she looked back once or twice, half hoping that `
` they would call after her: the last time she saw them, they were `
` trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot. `
` `
` `At any rate I'll never go THERE again!' said Alice as she `
` picked her way through the wood. `It's the stupidest tea-party I `
` ever was at in all my life!' `
` `
` Just as she said this, she noticed that one of the trees had a `
` door leading right into it. `That's very curious!' she thought. `
` `But everything's curious today. I think I may as well go in at once.' `
` And in she went. `
` `
` Once more she found herself in the long hall, and close to the `
` little glass table. `Now, I'll manage better this time,' `
` she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key, `
` and unlocking the door that led into the garden. Then she went `
` to work nibbling at the mushroom (she had kept a piece of it `
` in her pocket) till she was about a foot high: then she walked down `
` the little passage: and THEN--she found herself at last in the `
` beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VIII `
` `
` The Queen's Croquet-Ground `
` `
` `
` A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the `
` roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at `
` it, busily painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious `
` thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and just as she came up `
` to them she heard one of them say, `Look out now, Five! Don't go `
` splashing paint over me like that!' `
` `
` `I couldn't help it,' said Five, in a sulky tone; `Seven jogged `
` my elbow.' `
` `
` On which Seven looked up and said, `That's right, Five! Always `
` lay the blame on others!' `
` `
` `YOU'D better not talk!' said Five. `I heard the Queen say only `
` yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!' `
` `
` `What for?' said the one who had spoken first. `
` `
` `That's none of YOUR business, Two!' said Seven. `
` `
` `Yes, it IS his business!' said Five, `and I'll tell him--it `
` was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions.' `
` `
` Seven flung down his brush, and had just begun `Well, of all `
` the unjust things--' when his eye chanced to fall upon Alice, as `
` she stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly: the `
` others looked round also, and all of them bowed low. `
` `
` `Would you tell me,' said Alice, a little timidly, `why you are `
` painting those roses?' `
` `
` Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two. Two began in a `
` low voice, `Why the fact is, you see, Miss, this here ought to `
` have been a RED rose-tree, and we put a white one in by mistake; `
` and if the Queen was to find it out, we should all have our heads `
` cut off, you know. So you see, Miss, we're doing our best, afore `
` she comes, to--' At this moment Five, who had been anxiously `
` looking across the garden, called out `The Queen! The Queen!' `
` and the three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon `
` their faces. There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice `
` looked round, eager to see the Queen. `
` `
` First came ten soldiers carrying clubs; these were all shaped `
` like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and `
` feet at the corners: next the ten courtiers; these were `
` ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the `
` soldiers did. After these came the royal children; there were `
` ten of them, and the little dears came jumping merrily along hand `
` in hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts. Next `
` came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice `
` recognised the White Rabbit: it was talking in a hurried nervous `
` manner, smiling at everything that was said, and went by without `
` noticing her. Then followed the Knave of Hearts, carrying the `
` King's crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this `
` grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS. `
` `
` Alice was rather doubtful whether she ought not to lie down on `
` her face like the three gardeners, but she could not remember `
` ever having heard of such a rule at processions; `and besides, `
` what would be the use of a procession,' thought she, `if people `
` had all to lie down upon their faces, so that they couldn't see it?' `
` So she stood still where she was, and waited. `
` `
` When the procession came opposite to Alice, they all stopped `
` and looked at her, and the Queen said severely `Who is this?' `
` She said it to the Knave of Hearts, who only bowed and smiled in reply. `
` `
` `Idiot!' said the Queen, tossing her head impatiently; and, `
` turning to Alice, she went on, `What's your name, child?' `
` `
` `My name is Alice, so please your Majesty,' said Alice very `
` politely; but she added, to herself, `Why, they're only a pack of `
` cards, after all. I needn't be afraid of them!' `
` `
` `And who are THESE?' said the Queen, pointing to the three `
` gardeners who were lying round the rosetree; for, you see, as `
` they were lying on their faces, and the pattern on their backs `
` was the same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell whether `
` they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or three of her `
` own children. `
` `
` `How should I know?' said Alice, surprised at her own courage. `
` `It's no business of MINE.' `
` `
` The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her `
` for a moment like a wild beast, screamed `Off with her head! `
` Off--' `
` `
` `Nonsense!' said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the `
` Queen was silent. `
` `
` The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said `
` `Consider, my dear: she is only a child!' `
` `
` The Queen turned angrily away from him, and said to the Knave `
` `Turn them over!' `
` `
` The Knave did so, very carefully, with one foot. `
` `
` `Get up!' said the Queen, in a shrill, loud voice, and the `
` three gardeners instantly jumped up, and began bowing to the `
` King, the Queen, the royal children, and everybody else. `
` `
` `Leave off that!' screamed the Queen. `You make me giddy.' `
` And then, turning to the rose-tree, she went on, `What HAVE you `
` been doing here?' `
` `
` `May it please your Majesty,' said Two, in a very humble tone, `
` going down on one knee as he spoke, `we were trying--' `
` `
` `I see!' said the Queen, who had meanwhile been examining the `
` roses. `Off with their heads!' and the procession moved on, `
` three of the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate `
` gardeners, who ran to Alice for protection. `
` `
` `You shan't be beheaded!' said Alice, and she put them into a `
` large flower-pot that stood near. The three soldiers wandered `
` about for a minute or two, looking for them, and then quietly `
` marched off after the others. `
` `
` `Are their heads off?' shouted the Queen. `
` `
` `Their heads are gone, if it please your Majesty!' the soldiers `
` shouted in reply. `
` `
` `That's right!' shouted the Queen. `Can you play croquet?' `
` `
` The soldiers were silent, and looked at Alice, as the question `
` was evidently meant for her. `
` `
` `Yes!' shouted Alice. `
` `
` `Come on, then!' roared the Queen, and Alice joined the `
` procession, wondering very much what would happen next. `
` `
` `It's--it's a very fine day!' said a timid voice at her side. `
` She was walking by the White Rabbit, who was peeping anxiously `
` into her face. `
` `
` `Very,' said Alice: `--where's the Duchess?' `
` `
` `Hush! Hush!' said the Rabbit in a low, hurried tone. He `
` looked anxiously over his shoulder as he spoke, and then raised `
` himself upon tiptoe, put his mouth close to her ear, and `
` whispered `She's under sentence of execution.' `
` `
` `What for?' said Alice. `
` `
` `Did you say "What a pity!"?' the Rabbit asked. `
` `
` `No, I didn't,' said Alice: `I don't think it's at all a pity. `
` I said "What for?"' `
` `
` `She boxed the Queen's ears--' the Rabbit began. Alice gave a `
` little scream of laughter. `Oh, hush!' the Rabbit whispered in a `
` frightened tone. `The Queen will hear you! You see, she came `
` rather late, and the Queen said--' `
` `
` `Get to your places!' shouted the Queen in a voice of thunder, `
` and people began running about in all directions, tumbling up `
` against each other; however, they got settled down in a minute or `
` two, and the game began. Alice thought she had never seen such a `
` curious croquet-ground in her life; it was all ridges and `
` furrows; the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live `
` flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to `
` stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches. `
` `
` The chief difficulty Alice found at first was in managing her `
` flamingo: she succeeded in getting its body tucked away, `
` comfortably enough, under her arm, with its legs hanging down, `
`