6 The Queen's game of croquet

　　Near the door there was a rose-tree and three gardeners， who were looking at the roses in a very worried way．

　　'What's the matter？'Alice said to them．

　　'You see，Miss，'said the first gardener，'these roses are white，but the Queen only likes red roses，and she—'

　　'The Queen！'said the second gardener suddenly，and at once，the three gardeners lay down flat on their faces．Alice turned round and saw a great crowd of people．

　　It was a pack of cards，walking through the garden．There were clubs(they were soldiers)，and diamonds，and ten little children(they were hearts)．Next came some Kings and Queens．Then Alice saw the White Rabbit，and behind him， the Knave of Hearts．And last of all，came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS．

　　When the crowd came near to Alice，they all stopped and looked at her，and the Queen said，'Who are you？'

　　'My name is Alice，Your Majesty，'said Alice very politely．But she thought to herself，'They're only a pack of cards．I don't need to be afraid of them！'

　　'And who are these？'said the Queen，looking at the three gardeners．Then she saw the white roses，and her face turned red and angry．'Off with their heads！'she shouted，and soldiers hurried up to take the gardeners away．The Queen turned to Alice．'Can you play croquet？'she shouted．

　　'Yes！'shouted Alice．

　　'Come on，then！'shouted the Queen．The crowd began to move on，and Alice went with them．

　　'It's—it's a very fine day，'said a worried voice in her ear．Alice saw that the White Rabbit was by her side．

　　'Very fine，'said Alice．'Where's the Duchess？'

　　'Shhh！'said the Rabbit in a hurried voice．'She's in prison，waiting for execution．'

　　'What for？'said Alice．

　　But just then the Queen shouted，'Get to your places！'， and the game began．

　　It was the strangest game of croquet in Alice's life！The balls were hedgehogs，and the mallets were flamingoes．And the hoops were made by soldiers，who turned over and stood on their hands and feet．Alice held her flamingo's body under her arm，but the flamingo turned its long neck first this way and then that way．At last，Alice was ready to hit the ball with the flamingo's head．But by then，the hedgehog was tired of waiting and was walking away across the croquet-ground And when both the flamingo and the hedgehog were ready，there was no hoop！The soldiers too were always getting up and walking away．It really was a very difficult game，Alice thought．

　　The players all played at the same time，and they were al- ways arguing and fighting for hedgehogs．Nobody could agree about anything．Very soon，the Queen was wildly angry，and went around shouting'Off with his head！'or'Off with her head！'about once a minute．

　　Alice began to feel worried．'The Queen is sure to argue with me soon，'she thought．'And what will happen to me then？They're cutting people's heads off all the time here．I'm surprised there is anyone left alive！'

　　Just then she saw something very strange．She watched carefully，and after a minute or two she saw that the thing was a grin．'It's the Cheshire Cat，'she said to herself．'Now I'll have somebody to talk to．'

　　'How are you getting on？'said the Cat，when its mouth appeared．

　　Alice waited．'I can't talk to something without ears，'she thought．Slowly the Cat's eyes，then its ears，and then the rest of its head appeared．But it stopped at the neck，and its body did not appear．

　　Alice began to tell the Cat all about the game．'It's very difficult to play，'she said．'Everybody argues all the time， and the hoops and the hedgehogs walk away．'

　　'How do you like the Queen？'said the Cat quietly．

　　'I don't，'said Alice．'She's very—'Just then she saw the Queen behind her，so she went on，'—clever．She's the best player here．'

　　The Queen smiled and walked past．

　　'Who are you talking to？'said the King．He came up behind Alice and looked at the Cat's head in surprise．

　　'It's a friend of mine—a Cheshire Cat，'said Alice．

　　'I'm not sure that I like it，'said the King．'But it can touch my hand if it likes．'

　　'I prefer not to，'said the Cat．

　　'Well！'said the King angrily．He called out to the Queen， 'My dear！There's a cat here，and I don't like it．'

　　The Queen did not look round．'Off with its head！'she shouted．'Call for the executioner！

　　Alice was a little worried for her friend，but when the executioner arrived，everybody began to argue．

　　'I can't cut off a head，'said the executioner，'if there isn't a body to cut it off from．'

　　'You can cut the head off，'said the King，'from anything that's got a head．'

　　'If somebody doesn't do something quickly，'said the Queen，'I'll cut everybody's head off．'

　　Nobody liked that plan very much，so they all turned to Alice．'And what do you say？'they cried．

　　'The Cat belongs to the Duchess，'said Alice carefully．'Perhaps you could ask her about it．'

　　'She's in prison，'the Queen said to the executioner．'Bring her here at once．'

　　But then the Cat's head slowly began to vanish，and when the executioner came back with the Duchess，there was nothing there．The King ran wildly up and down，looking for the Cat，and the Duchess put her arm round Alice．'I'm so pleased to see you again，my dear！'she said．

　　'Let's get on with the game，'the Queen said angrily，and Alice followed her back to the croquet-ground．

　　The game went on，but all the time the Queen was arguing， and shouting'Off with his head！'or'Off with her head！' Soon there were no hoops left，because the soldiers(who were the hoops)were too busy taking everybody to prison．And at the end there were only three players left—the King，the Queen，and Alice．

　　The Queen stopped shouting and said to Alice，'Have you seen the Mock Turtle yet？'

　　'No，'said Alice．'I'm not sure what a Mock Turtle is．'

　　'Then come with me，'said the Queen．

　　They found the Mock Turtle down by the sea．Next to him was a Gryphon，asleep in the sun．Then the Queen hurried away，saying，'I have to get on with some executions．'

　　The Gryphon woke up，and said sleepily to Alice，'It's just talk，you know．They never execute anybody．'

　　Alice was pleased to hear this．She felt a little afraid of the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle，because they were so large．But they were very friendly，and sang songs and told her many stories about their lives．The Mock Turtle was in the middle of a very sad song when they all heard a shout a long way away： 'It's beginning！'

　　'Come on！We must hurry！'cried the Gryphon．It took Alice by the hand and began to run．

　　6 王后的槌球游戏

　　在门附近，有棵玫瑰树。旁边站了三个园丁，正焦虑地看着玫瑰花。

　　“怎么啦？”爱丽丝问他们。

　　“你看，小姐，”第一个园丁说，“这些玫瑰是白的，可王后只喜欢红玫瑰，而且她——”

　　“王后！”第二个园丁突然说。三个园丁马上趴下，脸贴在地面上。爱丽丝转过身，看见一大群人。

　　这是一副牌，正在穿过花园。有方块（他们是士兵），梅花和十个小孩（他们是红桃）。随后是国王和王后们。这时，爱丽丝看见了白兔，他后面是红桃杰克，最后是红桃国王和王后。

　　这支队伍来到爱丽丝跟前，大家都停下来打量她，王后说，“你是谁？”

　　“我叫爱丽丝，陛下，”爱丽丝很有礼貌地说。她想，“他们不过是一副纸牌，我不怕他们！”

　　“这些人都是谁？”王后看着三个园丁问道。正在这时，她看见了白玫瑰，脸一下子气得通红。“砍掉他们的头！”她喊道，士兵们赶快把园丁们拉走。王后转向爱丽丝：“你会打槌球吗？”她喊着。

　　“会！”爱丽丝也喊着。

　　“那么来吧！”王后吆喝一声。大队人马接着走，爱丽丝跟着他们。

　　“这——这是个好天气，”她听见一个发愁的说话声。白兔就在她身边。

　　“很好，”爱丽丝说。“公爵夫人在哪儿？”

　　“嘘！”白兔很快说。“她在监狱里，等着受刑。”

　　“为什么？”爱丽丝问。

　　正在这时，王后喊：“各就各位！”比赛开始了。

　　这是爱丽丝见过的最奇怪的槌球游戏！球是刺猬，木槌是红鹤。弓形小球门由士兵组成，他们转过身去，红鹤腿着地站着。爱丽丝用胳膊抱着红鹤的身体，但红鹤把脖子一会儿转到这边，一会儿转到那边。最后，爱丽丝准备好用红鹤的头去击球。可正在这时，刺猬等烦了，穿过槌球场走开了。当红鹤和刺猬都准备好时，却没有球门！士兵们也总是站起来走开。这场球可是太难打了，爱丽丝想。

　　打球的人总是同时打，老是争吵，争刺猬。在任何一件事上大家意见都不一致。很快王后气坏了，她走来走去，大约隔一分钟就大喊“砍掉他的脑袋”或者“砍掉她的脑袋”。

　　爱丽丝开始有点担心了。她想：“王后也会很快和我吵起来的，那可怎么办？在这儿他们一直在砍头。可奇怪的是居然还有人活着！”

　　这时她看到一个很奇怪的东西。她仔细看，过了一会儿她看出来了，是一张咧着笑的嘴。“是切舍猫，”她心里想。“现在我可有人说话了。”

　　“你怎么样？”猫问，嘴完全显露出来了。

　　爱丽丝等了等。她想，“我没法跟一个没耳朵的东西说话。”慢慢地猫的眼睛，然后是耳朵，然后是头都出来了。但到颈部就停下来了，身子没出来。

　　爱丽丝就给猫讲球赛的情况。“这球赛太难打了，”她说。“每个人都在吵个不停，球门和刺猬还总是走开。”

　　“你觉得王后怎么样？”猫静静地问。

　　“我不喜欢她，”爱丽丝答道。“她很——”正在这时，她看见王后就在她后面，所以她接着说，“——聪明。在这儿她球打得最好。”

　　王后笑着走过去了。

　　“你到底在和谁说话？”国王问。他走到爱丽丝后面，看着猫的脑袋，觉得很奇怪。

　　“它是我的朋友——一只切舍猫，”爱丽丝说。

　　“我不知道我是否喜欢它，”国王说。“但如果它喜欢可以摸摸我的手。”

　　“我宁愿不摸。”猫说。

　　“哼！”国王气坏了。他对王后喊到，“亲爱的！这儿有只猫，我不喜欢它。”

　　王后没回头。“砍掉它的脑袋！”她喊着。“把执行官叫来！”

　　爱丽丝有点替朋友担心，但等执行官来了，大家开始争执起来。

　　“我没法砍掉它的头，”执行官说，“如果没有身子，怎么砍头呢？”

　　“你能砍，”国王说，“从头长出来的那个地方。”

　　“如果有人不赶快做事，”王后说，“我就把每个人的头都砍掉。”

　　没有人喜欢这个计划，他们都转向爱丽丝。“那么你说怎么办？”他们喊道。

　　“猫是公爵夫人的，”爱丽丝小心翼翼地说。“也许你们该问问她怎么办。”

　　“她在监狱里，”王后对执行官说。“把她立刻带到这儿来。”

　　但这时猫的头开始消失，等执行官带着公爵夫人回来时，那儿已经什么都没有了。国王狂燥地跑来跑去找猫，公爵夫人抱着爱丽丝。“我真高兴又见到了你，亲爱的！”她说。

　　“我们接着打球，”王后气呼呼地说，于是爱丽丝跟着她走回槌球场。

　　球赛接着进行，可王后总是与别人争吵，大喊“砍掉他的脑袋！”或者“砍掉她的脑袋！”只一会儿就没有弓形球门了，因为士兵们（也就是球门）忙着把大家抓到监狱里去。最后只剩下三个人了——国王，王后和爱丽丝。

　　王后不喊了，对爱丽丝说，“你见到充海龟了吗？”

　　“没有，”爱丽丝说。“我不知道充海龟是什么。”

　　“那么跟我来，”王后说。

　　他们在海边发现了充海龟。充海龟旁边是鹰头翼狮，它正晒太阳睡觉呢。王后快步走开了，说“我还得去执行那些死刑呢。”

　　鹰头翼狮醒来了，迷迷糊糊地对爱丽丝说，“只是说说而已，你该知道。他们从不真的砍谁的脑袋。”

　　爱丽丝听了这个很高兴。她有点害怕鹰头翼狮和充海龟，他们个子很大。但他们很友好，唱着歌，还给她讲他们生活中的故事。充海鱼正唱到一半时，有个声音从远处喊到：“开始！”