← the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red. 🔊
← and the three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon their faces. 🔊
← First came ten soldiers carrying clubs; these were all shaped like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the corners: 🔊
← Alice was rather doubtful whether she ought not to lie down on her face like the three gardeners, but she could not remember ever having heard of such a rule at processions; 🔊
← ‘And who are these?’ said the Queen, pointing to the three gardeners who were lying round the rose-tree; 🔊
← for, you see, as they were lying on their faces, and the pattern on their backs was the same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell whether they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or three of her own children. 🔊
← ‘Get up!’ said the Queen, in a shrill, loud voice, and the three gardeners instantly jumped up, and began bowing to the King, the Queen, the royal children, and everybody else. 🔊
← and the procession moved on, three of the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate gardeners, who ran to Alice for protection. 🔊