were in the well,â Alice said to the Dormouse, not choosing to notice this last remark.
âOf course they were,â said the Dormouse; ââ well in.â
This answer so confused poor Alice, that she let the Dormouse go on for some time without interrupting it.
âThey were learning to draw,â the Dormouse went on, yawning and rubbing its eyes, for it was getting very sleepy; âand they drew all manner of things â everything that begins with an M ââ
âWhy with an M?â said Alice.
âWhy not?â 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: ââ that begins with an M, such as mouse-traps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness â you know you say things are âmuch of a muchnessâ â did you ever see such a thing as a drawing of a muchness?â
âReally, now you ask me,â said Alice, very much confused, âI donât think ââ
âThen you shouldnât talk,â 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.
âAt any rate Iâll never go there again!â said Alice as she picked her way through the wood. âItâs the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life!â
Just as she said this, she noticed that one of the trees had a door leading right into it. âThatâs very curious!â she thought. âBut everythingâs curious today. I think I may as well go in at once.â And in she went.
Once more she found herself in the long hall, and close to the little glass table. âNow, Iâll manage better this time,â she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key, and unlocking the door that led into the garden. Then she set 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 â she found herself at last in the beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains.
8
The Queenâs 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, âLook out now, Five! Donât go splashing paint over me like that!â
âI couldnât help it,â said Five in a sulky tone; âSeven jogged my elbow.â
On which Seven looked up and said, âThatâs right, Five! Always lay the blame on others!â
âYouâd better not talk!â said Five. âI heard the Queen say only yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!â
âWhat for?â said the one who had spoken first.
âThatâs none of your business, Two!â said Seven.
âYes it is his business!â said Five, âand Iâll tell him â it was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions.â
Seven flung down his brush, and had just begun âWell, of all the unjust things ââ when his eye chanced to fallupon Alice, as she stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly: the others looked round also, and all of them bowed low.
âWould you tell me,â said Alice, a little timidly, âwhy you are painting those roses?â
Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two. Two began in a low voice, âWhy the fact is, you see, Miss, this here
Aimee Liu, Daniel McNeill