Алиса в стране чудес / Alice in Wonderland

“That’s right!” shouted the Queen. “Can you play croquet?”

The soldiers were silent, and looked at Alice.

“Yes!” shouted Alice.

“Come on, then!” roared the Queen, and Alice joined the procession.

“It’s—It’s a very fine day!” said a timid voice. It was the White Rabbit, who was peeping anxiously into her face.

“Very,” said Alice, “where’s the Duchess?”

“Hush! Hush!” said the Rabbit in a low, hurried tone. He put his mouth close to her ear and whispered “She’s under sentence of execution[64 - She’s under sentence of execution.

“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[65 - she boxed the Queen’s ears – она надавала Королеве оплеух],” 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 in a voice of thunder. It was a very curious croquet-ground! It was all ridges and furrows[66 - ridges and furrows – рытвины и борозды]; the balls were hedgehogs, the mallets were flamingoes, and the soldiers were the arches.

The players all played at once, nobody was waiting for his turn.

Alice noticed a curious appearance in the air. It was a grin, and Alice said to herself “It’s the Cheshire Cat: now I have somebody to talk to.”

“How are you getting on[67 - How are you getting on? – Ну, как дела?]?” said the Cat, when its mouth appeared.

“I don’t think they play croquet,” Alice began, “and they all quarrel so dreadfully!”

“How do you like the Queen?” said the Cat in a low voice.

“Not at all,” said Alice: “she’s a—”

Just then she noticed that the Queen was near. The Queen was listening. So Alice went on, “—a very good player, I think I can’t win.”

The Queen smiled.

“Who are you talking to?” said the King. He was looking at the Cat’s head with great curiosity.