Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
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won't do a thing I ask ! it's always six o'clock now .'

a bright idea came into Alice's head .' is that_the reason so_many tea- things are put out here ? ' she asked .

' yes, that's it,' said the hatter with a sigh: ' it's always tea- time, and we've no time to wash the things between whiles .'

' then you keep moving round, I suppose ? ' said Alice .

' exactly so,' said the hatter: ' as_the things get used up .'

' but what happens when_you come to_the beginning again ? ' Alice ventured to ask .

' suppose we change the subject,' the march hare interrupted, yawning .'I'm getting tired of_this .I vote the young lady tells us a story .'

'I'm afraid I don't know one,' said Alice, rather alarmed at_the proposal .

' then the dormouse shall ! ' they both cried .' 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 .

' and be quick about_it,' added the hatter, ' or you'll be asleep again before it's done .'

' once upon a time there were three little sisters,' the dormouse began in a great hurry; ' and their names were Elsie, Lacie, and Tillie; and_they lived at_the bottom of a well--'

' what did they live on ? ' said Alice, who always took a great interest in questions of eating and drinking .

' they lived on treacle,' said the dormouse, after thinking a minute or two .

' they couldn't have_done that, you_know,' Alice gently remarked; ' they'd have_been ill .'

' so they were,' said the dormouse; ' very ill .'

Alice tried to fancy to herself what such an extraordinary ways of living would_be like, but it puzzled her too_much, so she went on: ' but why did they live at_the bottom of a well ? '

' take some more tea,' the march hare said to Alice, very earnestly .

'I've had nothing yet,' Alice replied in an offended tone, ' so I_can't take more .'

' you mean you_can't take less,' said the hatter: ' it's very easy to_take more than nothing .'

' nobody asked your opinion,' said Alice .

' 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 .' why did they live at_the bottom of a well ? '

the dormouse again took a minute or two to_think about_it, and then said, ' it_was a treacle- well .'

' there's no such thing ! ' Alice was beginning very angrily, but the hatter and_the march hare went 'Sh ! 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 . however, he consented to_go on .' 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 .

' i_want a clean cup,' interrupted the hatter: ' let's all move one place on .'

he moved on as he spoke, and_the dormouse followed him: the march hare moved into_the dormouse's place, and Alice rather unwillingly took the place of_the march hare . 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 . where did they draw the treacle from ? '

' you_can draw water out of a water- well,' said the hatter; ' so i_should think you_could draw treacle out of a treacle- well--eh, stupid ? '

' but they were in_the well,' Alice said to_the dormouse, not choosing to notice this last remark .

' 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 .

' they were learning to draw,' the dormouse went on, yawning and rubbing its eyes, for it_was getting very sleepy; ' and_they drew all manner of things-- everything that begins with an M--'

' why with an M ? ' said Alice .

' why_not ? ' said the march hare .

Alice was silent .

the dormouse had closed its eyes by_this_time, and was going off into a doze; but, on being pinched by_the hatter, it woke up again with a little shriek, and went on: '-- that begins with an M, such as mouse-traps, and_the moon, and memory, and muchness-- you_know you say things are " much of amuchness"-- did you ever see such a thing as adrawing of amuchness ? '

' really, now you ask me,' said Alice, very_much confused, 'I don't think--'

' then you shouldn't talk,' said the hatter .

this piece of rudeness was more than Alice could bear: she got 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 ahurried 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, but generally,

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