F in Wonderland {FANFIC} {Alphabet Lore}

Chapter 7: Y's Croquet Game♥️♣️

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. F thought this a very curious thing, and he went nearer to watch them, and just as he came up to them he heard One and Two and One says, “Look out now, Two! Don’t go splashing paint over me like that!”

"Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” said Two, in a sulky tone; “But you jogged my elbow.”

On which One looked up and said, “That’s right, you yellow number! You always lay the blame on others!”

“You’d better not talk!” said Two. “I heard Y say only yesterday you deserved to be beheaded!”

“What for?” said One.

“That’s none of your business, One!” Two replied.

“No, it's your business!” said One, “and I’ll tell you—it was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions.”

Two flung down his brush, and had just begun “Well, of all the unjust things—” when his eye chanced to fall upon F, as he stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly: One looked round also, and they bowed low.

“Would you tell me,” said F, a little timidly, “why you are painting those roses?”

One and Two said nothing, but One began to speak. He began in a low voice, “Why the fact is, you see, sir, this here ought to have been a red rose-tree, and we put a white one in by mistake; and if Y was to find it out, we should all have our heads cut off, you know. So you see, sir, we’re doing our best, afore she comes, to—” At this moment Two who had been anxiously looking across the garden, called out “The Queen! Y is coming!” and the two nunbers instantly threw themselves flat upon their faces. There was a sound of many footsteps, and F looked round, eager to see Y.

A trumpet blew up as Y enters the palace gates as her card soldiers were carrying her throne. F was rather doubtful whether he ought not to lie down on his face like One and Two, but he could not remember ever having heard of such a rule at processions; “and besides, what would be the use of a procession,” thought he, “if people had all to lie down upon their faces, so that they couldn’t see it?” So he stood still where he was, and waited.

When the procession came opposite to F, they all stopped and looked at him, and Y said severely “Who is this?” she said.

“Ugh!” said Y, tossing her head impatiently; and, turning to F, she went on, “What’s your name?”

“My name is F, you akready know me, so please your Majesty,” said F very politely; but he added, to himself, “Why, they’re are Oje and Two who are numbers after all. I needn’t be afraid of them!"

"And who are these?” said Y, pointing to One and Two who were lying round the rose-tree; for, you see, as they were lying on their faces, she could not tell whether they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or two of her own sons.

“How should I know?” said F, surprised at his own courage. “It’s no business of mine.”

Y turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, screamed “Off with his head! Off—”

"Nonesense!" said F, very loudly and decidedly, and Y was silent.

But then Y turned angrily and said to the Knave “Turn them over!”

The Knave did so, very carefully, with one foot.

"Get up!" said Y, in a shrill, loud voice, and One and Two instantly jumped up, and began bowing to her and the card soldiers.