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CHAPTER VIII. The Queen's Croquet-Ground
第8章 王后的槌球场
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.
靠近花园入口处有一棵高大的玫瑰树。树上的玫瑰是白色的，但是周围有三个园丁正忙着把它们涂成红色。
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!"
爱丽丝觉得这事儿实在很奇怪，于是走近些观察。就在来到他们身边时，她听见其中一个说：“看着点儿啊，老五！别那样把颜料都溅到我身上！”
"I couldn't help it," said Five, in a sulky tone; "Seven jogged my elbow."
“我没办法呀，”老五怏怏不乐地说，“是老七碰了我的胳膊肘啦。”
On which Seven looked up and said, "That's right, Five! Always lay the blame on others!"
一听这话，老七抬起头来说：“得啦，老五！你总是把责任推到别人身上！”
"You'd better not talk!" said Five. "I heard the Queen say only yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!"
“你最好别开口！”老五说，“就在昨天我还听见王后说你该砍头呢！”
"What for?" said the one who had spoken first.
“为什么？”起先那个说话的问。
"That's none of your business, Two!" said Seven.
“这与你无关，老二！”老七说。
"Yes, it is his business!" said Five, "and I'll tell him -- it was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions."
“不，就是和他有关！”老五说，“我来告诉他——是因为把郁金香根当成了洋葱拿给了厨子。”
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.
老七扔下了刷子，刚开口说：“哼，说到那些不公平的事——”他的目光正巧落在了爱丽丝身上，当时她一直站在那儿盯着他们，于是他一下子住了口，另外俩人也回头看，然后他们都深深一鞠躬。
"Would you tell me," said Alice, a little timidly, "why you are painting those roses?"
“你们能不能告诉我，”爱丽丝怯生生地说，“为什么你们要涂那些玫瑰花？”
Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two.
老五和老七没吭声，只是望望老二。
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 you see, Miss, we're doing our best, afore she comes, to -- "
老二开口小声说：“嗨，你瞧，小姐，事实上这里本该有一棵红玫瑰树，可我们错种了一棵白色的。你知道，这要是被王后发现了，我们全都得砍头。所以你看，小姐，我们正在拼命干，想赶在她到来之前，把——”
At this moment Five, who had been anxiously looking across the garden, called out "The Queen! The Queen!" and the three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon their faces.
就在这时，一直担心地望着花园另一端的老五喊道：“王后！王后！”三个园丁立即脸朝下伏下身去。
There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice looked round, eager to see the Queen.
一阵脚步声传了过来，爱丽丝张望着，盼望能看见王后。
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: next the ten courtiers; these were ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the soldiers did.
先是来了十个手持梅花的士兵，他们全和那三个园丁一般模样，又长方又扁平，手脚还长在四个角上。后面跟着十个朝臣，他们全身装饰着方块，像那些士兵一样，一对对地行进。
After these came the royal children; there were ten of them, and the little dears came jumping merrily along hand in hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts.
他们之后是皇室的孩子们，一共有十个，这些小宝贝两个一对儿手拉手蹦跳着兴高采烈地走来。他们全都装饰着红心。
Next came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice recognised the White Rabbit: it was talking in a hurried nervous manner, smiling at everything that was said, and went by without noticing her.
后面走来的是宾客，大部分都是国王和王后，爱丽丝在宾客中间认出了那只白兔，它正神态匆忙而又紧张地谈论着什么，同时对谈及的一切事情都报以微笑，而且根本没注意爱丽丝就从她身边走了过去。
Then followed the Knave of Hearts, carrying the King's crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS.
后面跟着的是红心杰克，手上捧着放在紫红色天鹅绒垫子上的王冠，在这支壮观队伍的最后，走来了红心国王和王后。
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 besides, what would be the use of a procession," thought she, "if people had all to lie down upon their faces, so that they couldn't see it?" So she stood still where she was, and waited.
爱丽丝真不知自己该不该也像三个园丁那样脸朝下伏在地上，可她倒不曾记得听说过遇到王室队伍出行时有这样的规矩。“再说，”她寻思着，“如果人们全都得脸朝下趴着，他们就看不见这出行的队伍了，那还有什么意义呢？”于是她就一动不动地站在原地等待着。
