Dormouse slowly opened his eyes.
“I wasn’t asleep,” it said in a hoarse, feeble voice: “I heard every word.”
“Tell us a story!” said the March Hare.
“Yes, please do!” pleaded Alice.
“And be quick,” added the Hatter.
“Once upon a time there were three little sisters,” the Dormouse began in a great hurry; “and their names were Elsie, Lacie, and Tillie[50]; and they lived at the bottom of a well…”
“What did they eat or drink?” asked Alice.
“They drank treacle,” said the Dormouse.
“They couldn’t do that, you know,” Alice gently remarked; “Were they ill?”
“Yes, they were,” said the Dormouse; “very ill.”
Alice went on: “But why did they live at the bottom of a well?”
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice.
“I did not drink anything,” Alice replied, “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.
Alice took some tea and a 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 said, “It was a treacle-well.”
“It’s impossible!” Alice was very angry, but the Hatter and the March Hare went “Sh! sh!” and the Dormouse sulkily remarked, “If you can’t be civil, finish the story for yourself.”
“No, please go on!” Alice said very humbly; “I won’t interrupt again.”
“And so these three little sisters—they were learning to draw[51], you know,” said the Dormouse.
“What did they draw?” said Alice. She forgot her promise.
“Treacle,” said the Dormouse.
“I want a clean cup,” interrupted the Hatter: “let’s all move.”
He moved on, and the Dormouse followed him: the March Hare moved into the Dormouse’s place, and Alice took the place of the March Hare.
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 think you can draw treacle out of a treacle-well, eh, stupid?”
“But they were IN the well,” Alice said to the Dormouse.
“Of course they were”, said the Dormouse; “they were learning to draw, and they drew 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. The Hatter pinched it, 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[52]—did you see muchness?”
“Muchness?” said Alice, very much confused, “I don’t think—”
“Then don’t talk,” said the Hatter.
Alice got up and walked off; the Dormouse fell asleep instantly, and nobody called after the girl. They were trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot.
“I’ll never go there again!” said Alice. “It’s the stupidest tea-party in the world!”
Just as she said this, she noticed that one of the trees had a door.
“That’s very curious!” she thought. “But everything’s curious today. I think I may go in.”
And in she went.
Once more she found herself[53] in the long hall, and close to the little glass table. She took the little golden key, and unlocked the door that led into the garden. She walked down the little passage, and then she found herself in the beautiful garden, among the bright flowers 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. They were painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and when she came up to them she heard the voice, “Look out now[54], Five! Don’t splash the paint over me!’
“That’s not my fault,” said Five, in a sulky tone; “Seven jogged my elbow.”
Seven looked up and said, “That’s not right, Five!”
“Do not talk!” said Five. “Queen said yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!”
“What for?”
“That’s none of your business[55], Two!” said Seven.
“Yes, it is his business!” said Five, “and I’ll tell him—he brought the cook tulip-roots[56]instead of onions.”
Seven noticed Alice. The others looked round also, and all of them bowed low[57].
“Can 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, “The fact is, you see, Miss, the Queen ordered to plant a red rose-tree, and we planted a white tree by mistake. If the Queen sees it, our heads will be cut off[58], you know. So you see, Miss—”
At this moment Five called out “The Queen! The Queen!” There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice looked round, she wanted to see the Queen.
First came ten soldiers with clubs[59]; these were all like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the corners. Next came the ten courtiers[60] with diamonds. After these came the royal children; there were ten of them. Next came the guests, Kings and Queens, and among them Alice recognised the White Rabbit. Then followed the Knave of Hearts[61], he was carrying the King’s crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this grand procession, came The King and Queen Of Hearts[62].
Alice 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; and she turned to Alice, “What’s your name, child?”
“My name is Alice, your Majesty,” said Alice very politely; but she added, to herself, “They’re only a pack of cards. No need to be afraid of them!”
“And who are these?” the Queen pointed