Is that all? CATERPILLAR No. [_He puffs at the hookah in silence; finally takes it out of his mouth and unfolds his arms._] So you think you're changed, do you? ALICE I'm afraid I am, Sir; I don't keep the same size. CATERPILLAR What size do you want to be? ALICE I don't know. At least I've never been so small as a caterpillar. CATERPILLAR [_Rears angrily._] It is a very good height indeed. ALICE But I'm not used to it; I wish you wouldn't all be so easily offended. CATERPILLAR You'll get used to it in time. ALICE Are you too big or am I too small? [_She compares her height wonderingly with the tall flowers._] CATERPILLAR [_Looks at her sleepily, yawns, shakes himself, slides down from the mushroom and crawls slowly away._] One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter. ALICE One side of what? The other side of what? CATERPILLAR Of the mushroom. [_ALICE hesitates, then embraces mushroom and picks bit from each side._] [_Three gardeners representing spades enter carrying brushes and red paint cans._] TWO-SPOT Look out now, Five. Don't go splashing paint over me like that. FIVE-SPOT I couldn't help it. Seven jogged my elbow. SEVEN-SPOT That's right, Five, always lay the blame on others. FIVE-SPOT You'd better not talk. I heard the Queen say only yesterday you deserved to be beheaded. TWO-SPOT What for? SEVEN-SPOT That's none of your business, Two. FIVE-SPOT Yes, it is his business, and I'll tell him. It was for bringing the cook tulip roots instead of onions. SEVEN-SPOT Well, of all the unjust things-- [_Sees ALICE; others look around, all bow._] ALICE Could you please tell me what side to eat? [_FIVE and SEVEN look at TWO._] TWO-SPOT I don't know anything about it. [_He paints a white rose, red._] You ought to have been red, we put you in by mistake, and if the Queen was to find it out we should all have our heads cut off. [_A thumping is heard off stage and the music grows louder and louder._] ALICE What's that? FIVE-SPOT The White Chess Queen. SEVEN-SPOT Don't let her see what we are doing. TWO-SPOT She'll tell on us. SEVEN-SPOT Run out and stop her from coming here. FIVE-SPOT [_To ALICE as she runs to the right._] No, no, the other way. ALICE But she's off there! TWO-SPOT You can only meet her by walking the other way. ALICE Oh! what nonsense. ALL THE GARDENERS Go the other way! ALICE [_Re-enters in dismay and dashes out to the left._] She's running away from me. [_The WHITE QUEEN backs in from right and ALICE backs in from left. They meet. The gardeners cry "The Queen" and throw themselves flat upon the ground; their backs are like the backs of the rest of the pack. Music stops. ALICE looks at the QUEEN curiously._] ALICE Oh, there you are! Why, I'm just the size I was when I saw you last. WHITE QUEEN Of course you are, and who are these? I can't tell them by their backs.