Алиса в стране чудес
The Queen’s Croquet Ground
Twobegan,inalowvoice,"Why,thefactis,yousee,Miss,thishereoughttohavebeenaredrose-tree,andweputawhiteoneinbymistake; andiftheQueenwastofinditout,weshouldallhaveourheadscutoff,youknow. Soyousee,Miss,we’redoingourbest,aforeshecomes,to—" Atthismoment,Five,whohadbeenanxiouslylookingacrossthegarden,calledout "TheQueen!TheQueen!", andthethreegardenersinstantlythrewthemselvesflatupontheirfaces. Therewasasoundofmanyfootsteps,andAlicelookedround,eagertoseetheQueen.
Firstcametensoldierscarryingclubs: thesewereallshapedlikethethreegardeners,oblongandflat,withtheirhandsandfeetatthecorners: nextthetencourtiers: thesewereornamentedalloverwithdiamonds,andwalkedtwoandtwo,asthesoldiersdid. Afterthesecametheroyalchildren:thereweretenofthem,andthelittledearscamejumpingmerrilyalong,handinhand,incouples:theywereallornamentedwithhearts. Nextcametheguests,mostlyKingsandQueens,andamongthemAlicerecognisedtheWhiteRabbit: itwastalkinginahurriednervousmanner,smilingateverythingthatwassaid,andwentbywithoutnoticingher. ThenfollowedtheKnaveofHearts,carryingtheKing’scrownonacrimsonvelvetcushion; and,lastofallthisgrandprocession,cameTHEKINGANDTHEQUEENOFHEARTS.
Alicewasratherdoubtfulwhethersheoughtnottoliedownonherfacelikethethreegardeners, butshecouldnotremembereverhavingheardofsucharuleatprocessions; "andbesides,whatwouldbetheuseofaprocession,"thoughtshe,"ifpeoplehadalltoliedownupontheirfaces,sothattheycouldn’tseeit? "Soshestoodwhereshewas,andwaited.
WhentheprocessioncameoppositetoAlice,theyallstoppedandlookedather, andtheQueensaid,severely,"Whoisthis?".ShesaidittotheKnaveofHearts, whoonlybowedandsmiledinreply.
