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Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland
Kapitel 8:
The queen's croquet ground, Lewis Carroll, Seite 1 ( von 4 )
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, please," 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 on their
faces, so that they couldn't see it?" So she stood 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?"
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