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 ca n't help one 's petals getting a little untidy . ' Alice did n'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 had n'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 XXXXX , for , though the flowers were interesting enough , she felt that it would be far grander to have a talk with a real Queen .
Alice Larkspur Queen Rose Tiger-lily dahlia first footstep gravel-walk idea