Page:Complete Works of Lewis Carroll.djvu/105

85 "That's none of your business, Two!" said Seven.

"Yes, it is his business!" said Five. "And I'll tell him — it was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions."

Seven flung down his brush, and had just begun "Well, of all the unjust things — " when his eye chanced to fall upon Alice, as she stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly : the others looked round also, and all of them bowed low.

"Would you tell me, please," said Alice, a little timidly, "why you are painting those roses?"

Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two. Two began, in a low voice, "Why, the fact is, you see. Miss, this here ought to have been a red rose-tree, and we put a white one in by mistake; and, if the Queen was to find it out, we should all have our heads cut off, you know. So