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.
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.
