Previous Story 花园门口处,有是三个园丁正忙着把白玫瑰花染红。爱丽丝觉得很奇怪,上前询问原因,他们告诉爱丽丝,这里应该种红玫瑰的,是他们弄错了品种。如果被红心王后发现,他们都会被处死的。就在这时王后来了,浩浩荡荡的一大队人马,打头的是十个手拿棒子的士兵,接着是十名穿戴宝石的侍臣,后面是王室的孩子们,跟着一个手拿王冠的红心骑士,走在最后面的才是国王和红心王后。王后看到了园丁的行为后,下令斩了他们的头,他们三个急忙跑向爱丽丝,寻求保护。
CHAPTER VIII The Queen's Croquet-Ground A large rose-tree
stood near the entrancean ofthe garden: the roses growing on it
were white,but there were three gardeners at it, busilypainting
them red. Alice thought this a very curious thing, and she went
nearer to watchthem, and, just as she came up to them, she heard
one of them say 'Look out nowao, Five!Don't go splashing uo paint
over me like that!' 'I couldn't help it,' said Five, in a sulkyeum tone.
'Seven joggedo» 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 heardthe Queen say
only yesterday you deserved tobe beheaded.
3/8 'What for?' said the one who had spoken first.'That's none of
YOUR business, Two!' saidSeven. 'Yes, it is his business!' said
Five. 'And I'lltell him -it was for bringing the cook
tulip-rootSsan instead of onions. ' Seven flung down mo his brusho, and had justbegun 'Well, of
all the unjustearm things 'when his eye chanced to fall upon Alice,
as she stood watching them, and he checkedhimself suddenly: the
others looked round also, and all of them bowed low.
4/8 'Would you tell me, please,' said Alice, a littletimidly,
'why you are painting those roses?'Five and Seven said nothing, but
looked atTwo. Two began, in a low voice, 'Why, thefact is, you see,
Miss, this here ought to have been a RED rose-tree, and we put a
white onein by mistake; and, if the Queen was to find itout, we
should all have our heads cut off, you .know. So you see, Miss, we'
re doing our best, afore. zn she comes, to 'At this moment, Five,
who had been anxiously looking acrossthe garden, called out 'The
Queen! The Queen!', and the three gardeners instantlym threw
themselves flat upon their faces. Therewas a sound of many
footsteps, and Alice looked round, eager to see the
Queen.
5/8 First came ten soldiers carrying clubsa these were all shaped
like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and
feet at the corners: next the ten courtiersam: 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 merrilyom along, hand in
hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts. Next came
the guests, mostlyK ings and Queens, and among them Alice
recognised the White Rabbit: it was talking in ahurried nervous
manner, smiling at everythingthat was said, and went by without
noticingher. Then followed the Knave of Heartsoomn, carrying the
King's crown on a crimsonvelvet cushionmnmxumn ; and, last of all
thisgrand processiona«, came THE KING AND THE QUEEN OF
HEARTS.
6/8 Alice was rather doubtful whether she oughtnot to lie down on
her face like the three gardeners, but she could not remember ever
having heard of such a rule at processions; 'andbesides, what would
be the use of a procession,' thought she, 'if people had all tolie
down on their faces, so that they couldn'tsee it?' So she stood
where she was, and waited. When the procession came opposite tos Alice, they all stopped
and looked at her, andthe Queen said, severely, 'Who is this?'.
Shesaid it to the Knave of Hearts, who only bowedand smiled in
reply. 'Idiot!' said the Queen, tossing her head impatiently; and,
turning to Alice, she went on:'What's your name,
child?'
7/8 '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 lyinground the rose-tree;for, you see, as they
werelying on their faces, and the pattern on theirbacks was the
same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell W hether they were
gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or threeof her own
children. 'How should I know?' said Alice, surprised at her own
courage. 'It's no business of MINE.' The Queen turned crimson wea, with furyu, and,after glaring
at her for a moment like a wildbeastmm, began screaming 'Off with
her head! Off with 'Nonsense!' said Alice, very loudly
anddecidedly, and the Queen was silent.
8/8 The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said
'Consider, my dear: she is only achild!' The Queen turned angrily away from him, andsaid to the Knave
'Turn them over! emu' 'Get up!' said the Queen in a shrillo, loud voice, and the
three gardeners instantly jumpedup, and began bowing to the King,
the Queen,the royal children, and everybody else. 'Leave off that!' screamed the Queen. 'Youmake me giddy.' And
then, turning to the rose-tree, she went on 'What HAVE you
beendoing here?' 'May it please your Majesty,' said Two, in a very humble
tone, going down on one knee ashe spoke, 'we were
trying.' 'I see!' said the Queen, who had meanwhile been examining the
roses. 'Off with theirheads!' and the procession moved on, threeof
the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate gardeners,
who ran to Alice for protection.