Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking Glass

CHAPTER 2: The Garden of Live Flowers (continued)

`Is she like me?' Alice asked eagerly, for the thought crossed her mind, `There's another little girl in the garden, somewhere!'

`Well, she has the same awkward shape as you,' the Rose said, `but she's redder--and her petals are shorter, I think.'

`Her petals are done up close, almost like a dahlia,' the Tiger-lily interrupted: `not tumbled about anyhow, like yours.'

`But that's not YOUR fault,' the Rose added kindly: `you're beginning to fade, you know--and then one can't help one's petals getting a little untidy.'

Alice didn't like this idea at all: so, to change the subject, she asked `Does she ever come out here?'

`I daresay you'll see her soon,' said the Rose. `She's one of the thorny kind.'

`Where does she wear the thorns?' Alice asked with some curiosity.

`Why all round her head, of course,' the Rose replied. `I was wondering YOU hadn't got some too. I thought it was the regular rule.'

`She's coming!' cried the Larkspur. `I hear her footstep, thump, thump, thump, along the gravel-walk!'

Alice looked round eagerly, and found that it was the Red Queen. `She's grown a good deal!' was her first remark. She had indeed: when Alice first found her in the ashes, she had been only three inches high--and here she was, half a head taller than Alice herself!

`It's the fresh air that does it,' said the Rose: `wonderfully fine air it is, out here.'

`I think I'll go and meet her,' said Alice, for, though the flowers were interesting enough, she felt that it would be far grander to have a talk with a real Queen.

`You can't possibly do that,' said the Rose: `I should advise you to walk the other way.'