you know you say things are "much of a muchness"--did you ever

see such a thing as a drawing of a muchness?'

  `Really, now you ask me,' said Alice, very much confused, `I

don't think--'

  `Then you shouldn't talk,' 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.

  `At any rate I'll never go THERE again!' said Alice as she

picked her way through the wood.  `It's the stupidest tea-party I

ever was at in all my life!'

  Just as she said this, she noticed that one of the trees had a

door leading right into it.  `That's very curious!' she thought.

`But everything's curious today.  I think I may as well go in at once.'

And in she went.

  Once more she found herself in the long hall, and close to the

little glass table.  `Now, I'll manage better this time,'

she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key,

and unlocking the door that led into the garden.  Then she went

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--she found herself at last in the

beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds 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, 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, `Look out now, Five!  Don't go

splashing paint over me like that!'

  `I couldn't help it,' said Five, in a sulky tone; `Seven jogged

my elbow.'

  On which Seven looked up and said, `That's right, Five!  Always

lay the blame on others!'

  `YOU'D better not talk!' said Five.  `I heard the Queen say only

yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!' ()