← next the ten courtiers; these were ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the soldiers did. 🔊
← 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. 🔊
← and the procession moved on, three of the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate gardeners, who ran to Alice for protection. 🔊
← The three soldiers wandered about for a minute or two, looking for them, and then quietly marched off after the others. 🔊
← ‘Their heads are gone, if it please your Majesty!’ the soldiers shouted in reply. 🔊
← The soldiers were silent, and looked at Alice, as the question was evidently meant for her. 🔊
← the balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches. 🔊
← and, as the doubled-up soldiers were always getting up and walking off to other parts of the ground, Alice soon came to the conclusion that it was a very difficult game indeed. 🔊
← Those whom she sentenced were taken into custody by the soldiers, who of course had to leave off being arches to do this, so that by the end of half an hour or so there were no arches left, 🔊
← the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him; 🔊