took the place of the March Hare. But only the Hatter had a clean cup. Alice got the plate and the cup after the March Hare.
She didn’t like it at all, so she stood up, and walked away; the Dormouse fell asleep, and nobody called her back. When she turned to look at them she saw that they were trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot.
“I’ll never go THERE again!” said Alice as she was walking 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 in it. “That’s very curious!” she thought. “But everything’s curious today. I think I will go in at once.” And she went in.
Once more she was in the long hall, and near the little glass table. “I’ll do better this time,” she said to herself, and first took the little golden key and unlocked the door into the garden. Then she nibbled at the mushroom a few times (a piece of it was in her pocket) till she was about a foot high: then she walked down the little corridor behind the door: and THEN – at last she was in the beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains.
Chapter 8. The Queen’s Croquet-Ground
A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses were white, but there were three gardeners painting them red. Alice thought this was very curious, and she went nearer to watch them. They were quarrelling. Suddenly one of the gardeners noticed Alice who was standing and watching them. The others saw her too and all of them bowed low.
“Would you tell me,[119]” said Alice, a little timidly, “why you are painting those roses?”
One of the gardeners whose name was Two[120] explained: “It must be a RED rose-tree but we planted a white rose-tree by mistake. If the Queen knows about it we will all have our heads cut off.[121] So we are doing what we can before she comes…” At this moment the gardener whose name was Five cried: “The Queen! The Queen!” and the three gardeners fell down onto the ground. Alice heard the sound of many footsteps and looked round to see the Queen.
First came ten soldiers who looked like the three gardeners, with their hands and feet at the corners; next were the ten courtiers ornamented with diamonds. Then came ten royal children; they were all ornamented with hearts. Next came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice recognised the White Rabbit: it didn’t notice her. Then followed the Knave of Hearts,[122] carrying the King’s crown on a cushion; and last came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS.
Alice stood still and waited. When the procession came near her, they all stopped and looked at her.
“What’s your name, child?” the Queen asked turning to Alice.
“My name is Alice, your Majesty,” said Alice very politely. And she added to herself, “They’re only a pack of cards. It’s stupid to be afraid of them!”
“And who are THESE?” said the Queen, pointing at the three gardeners lying round the rose-tree.
“How can I know?” said Alice, surprised at her own courage. “It’s no business of MINE.[123]”
The Queen became red with anger and screamed “Off with her head! Off – ”
“Nonsense!” said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent.
The King put his hand upon her arm, and timidly said “My dear, she is only a child!”
“Can you play croquet?[124]” the Queen shouted her question after a pause.
The soldiers were silent, and looked at Alice, as the question was for her.
“Yes!” Alice shouted back.
“Come on, then!” shouted the Queen, and Alice joined the procession.
“It’s – it’s a very fine day!” said a timid voice near her. She was walking near the White Rabbit, who was looking anxiously into her face.
“Very,” said Alice: “ – where’s the Duchess?”
“Hush! Hush![125]” said the Rabbit in a low tone. He looked anxiously around and whispered into Alice’s ear “She will be executed.[126]”
“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 a pity. I said “What for?””
“She boxed the Queen’s ears[127] – ” the Rabbit began. Alice laughed. “Oh, hush!” the Rabbit whispered in a frightened tone. “The Queen will hear you! You see, she came late, and the Queen said – ”
“Get to your places!” shouted the Queen very loudly and the game began. Alice had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life: the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes and the arches were made of soldiers.
The main difficulty for Alice was to[128] use her flamingo: when she was going to hit the hedgehog with its head, it looked up in her face with such a puzzled expression that she began laughing; when she was ready to begin again the hedgehog was crawling away. So Alice soon came to the conclusion that it was really a very difficult game.
The players all played at once without waiting for each other, quarrelling all the time, and fighting for the hedgehogs; very soon the Queen became furious and shouted “Off with his head!” or “Off with her head!” every minute.
Alice began thinking how to get away. Suddenly she noticed something curious in the air. Soon she understood it was a grin of the Cheshire Cat.
“How are you getting on?[129]” said the Cat as soon as his mouth appeared.
Alice waited till the whole head appeared, put down her flamingo, and began to tell the Cat about the game. The Cat probably thought a head was enough, so no more of him appeared.[130]
“How do you like the Queen?” said the Cat in a low voice.
“Not at all,” said Alice: “she’s so – ” Just then she noticed that the Queen was behind her, listening: so she went on, “ – likely to win,[131] that it’s not interesting to finish the game.”
The Queen smiled and moved on.
“Who ARE you talking to?” said the King, coming up to Alice, and looking at the Cat’s head with great curiosity.
“It’s
Would you tell me… – не скажете ли вы…
Речь идет об игральных картах. Two – двойка, Five – пятерка. Карточные масти: clubs – трефы, diamonds – бубны, spades – пики, hearts – червы.
we will all have our heads cut off – нам всем отрубят головы
the Knave of Hearts – валет червей
It’s no business of MINE – Это не мое дело
croquet – спортивная игра, участники которой ударами специальных молотков (mallets) на длинной ручке проводят шары (balls) через воротца (arches), расставленные на площадке (croquet-ground) в определенном порядке.
Hush! Hush! – Тсс! Тсс!
She will be executed – Ее казнят
She boxed the Queen’s ears – Она дала Королеве по уху
The main difficulty for Alice was to… – Самым трудным для Алисы было…
How are you getting on? – Как идут дела?
no more of him appeared – остальные его части так и не появились
she’s so… likely to win… – она настолько… вероятно, выиграет…
