“Wake up, Dormouse!” And
they pinched it on both sides at once
The Dormouse slowly opened his eyes
“I wasn’t asleep,” he said in a
hoarse, feeble voice: “I heard every word you fellows were saying.”

“Tell us a story!” said the March Hare
“Yes, please do!” pleaded Alice
“They lived on treacle,” said the Dormouse, after thinking a minute or
two
“Who’s making personal remarks now?” the Hatter asked triumphantly
Alice did not quite know what to say to this: so she helped herself to
some tea and bread-and-butter, and then turned to the Dormouse, and
repeated her question
sh!” and the Dormouse sulkily
remarked, “If you can’t be civil, you’d better finish the story for
yourself.”

“No, please go on!” Alice said very humbly; “I won’t interrupt again
I
dare say there may be _one_.”

“One, indeed!” said the Dormouse indignantly
“And so these three little sisters—they were learning to draw,
you know—”

“What did they draw?” said Alice, quite forgetting her promise
“Treacle,” said the Dormouse, without considering at all this time
The Hatter was the only one who got any
advantage from the change: and Alice was a good deal worse off than
before, as the March Hare had just upset the milk-jug into his plate
Alice did not wish to offend the Dormouse again, so she began very
cautiously: “But I don’t understand
“Of course they were,” said the Dormouse; “—well in.”

This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse go on for
some time without interrupting it
“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
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
“Would you tell me,” said Alice, a little timidly, “why you are
painting those roses?”

Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two
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
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
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
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
“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
“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
“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
“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