CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtoget
erg
verytiredofsittingbyherzus
sisteronthebank,andofhebben
havingnothingtodo:once
of
ortwiceshehadpeepedintotheboek
bookhersisterwasreading,maar
butithadnopicturesof
orconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofeen
abook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesof
orconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinher
eigen
ownmind(aswellasshekon
could,forthehotdaymadehervoelen
feelverysleepyandstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingeen
adaisy-chainwouldbeworththemoeite
troubleofgettingupandplukken
pickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyeen
aWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesliep
ranclosebyher.Therewas
niets
nothingsoveryremarkableinthat;nordidAlice
dacht
thinkitsoverymuchuit
outofthewaytohoren
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
dacht
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherdat
thatsheoughttohavewonderedatdit
this,butatthetimeitallseemedheel
quitenatural);butwhentheRabbitactuallytook
een
awatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,en
andlookedatit,andthenhaastte
hurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshergeest
mindthatshehadneverbeforeseeneen
arabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,of
orawatchtotakeuit
outofit,andburningmet
withcuriosity,sheranacrossthefieldna
afterit,andfortunatelywasnet
justintimetoseeitpopdowneen
alargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.In
ander
anothermomentdownwentAlicena
afterit,neveronceconsideringhoe
howintheworldshewastogetuit
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraighton
als
likeatunnelforsomemanier
way,andthendippedsuddenlydown,sosuddenlydat
thatAlicehadnotamoment
momenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfvoordat
beforeshefoundherselffallingdowneen
averydeepwell.Either
de
thewellwasverydeep,of
orshefellveryslowly,forshehad
hadplentyoftimeassheging
wentdowntolookaboutheren
andtowonderwhatwasging
goingtohappennext.First,she
probeerde
triedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewaskwam
comingto,butitwastoodarktozien
seeanything;thenshelookedat
de
thesidesofthewell,en
andnoticedthattheywerefilledmet
withcupboardsandbook-shelves;here
en
andthereshesawmapsen
andpictureshunguponpegs.She
nam
tookdownajarfromoneofde
theshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
maar
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnotliketodrop
de
thejarforfearofdoden
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtozetten
putitintooneofde
thecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallas
deze
this,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Hoe
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeatthuis
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
niets
anythingaboutit,evenifIvallen
felloffthetopofthehouse!”(Whichwas
zeer
verylikelytrue.)Down,down,down.
Zou
Wouldthefallnevercometoeen
anend?“IwonderhowmanymilesI’ve
gevallen
fallenbythistime?”she
zei
saidaloud.“Imustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreofthe
aarde
earth.Letmesee:
thatwouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”
(for,yousee,Alice
had
hadlearntseveralthingsofthissoort
sortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,en
andthoughthiswasnotazeer
verygoodopportunityforshowingaf
offherknowledge,astherewasnoonetoluisteren
listentoher,stillitwasgoede
goodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’saboutthejuiste
rightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeof
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alice
had
hadnoideawhatLatitudewas,of
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebegan
weer
again.“IwonderifIshall
vallen
fallrightthroughtheearth!How
grappig
funnyit’llseemtocomeuit
outamongthepeoplethatlopen
walkwiththeirheadsdownward!De
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”(shewasratherglad
er
therewasnoonelistening,deze
thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatallthejuiste
rightword)“—butIshallhavetovragen
askthemwhatthenameoftheland
countryis,youknow.Please,Ma’am,is
dit
thisNewZealandorAustralia?”(andshe
probeerde
triedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’revalt
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
denk
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhat
een
anignorantlittlegirlshe’lldenken
thinkmeforasking!No,it’ll
nooit
neverdotoask:perhapsIshall
zie
seeitwrittenupsomewhere.”Down,down,down.
Er
Therewasnothingelsetodoen
do,soAlicesoonbeganpraten
talkingagain.“Dinah’llmissme
erg
verymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwas
de
thecat.)“Ihopethey’ll
herinneren
rememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
I
wou dat
wishyouweredownherewithme
me!Therearenomicein
de
theair,I’mafraid,butyoukunnen
mightcatchabat,andthat’sheel
verylikeamouse,youweet
know.Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
En
AndhereAlicebegantokrijgen
getrathersleepy,andwentonzeggen
sayingtoherself,inadreamysoort
sortofway,“Docatseten
eatbats?Docatseatbats?”
en
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”for,you
zie
see,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tveel
muchmatterwhichwaysheputhet
it.Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,
en
andhadjustbeguntodromen
dreamthatshewaswalkinghand
handinhandwithDinah,en
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethewaarheid
truth:didyouevereat
een
abat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
downshe
kwam
cameuponaheapofsticksen
anddryleaves,andtheval
fallwasover.Alicewasnot
een
abithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetineen
amoment:shelookedup,
maar
butitwasalldarkoverhead;beforeherwas
andere
anotherlongpassage,andtheWitte
WhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,haast
hurryingdownit.Therewasnota
moment
momenttobelost:away
ging
wentAlicelikethewind,en
andwasjustintimetohoren
hearitsay,asitdraaide
turnedacorner,“Ohmyearsen
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
dicht
closebehinditwhenshedraaide
turnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobezien
seen:shefoundherselfin
een
along,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyeen
arowoflampshangingfromhet
theroof.Thereweredoorsallround
de
thehall,buttheywerealllocked;en
andwhenAlicehadbeenal
allthewaydownonekant
sideanduptheother,proberen
tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthemiddle,wonderinghoe
howshewasevertogetuit
outagain.Suddenlyshecameupon
een
alittlethree-leggedtable,allgemaakt
madeofsolidglass;therewas
niets
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,en
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasdat
thatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;maar
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
te
toolarge,orthekeywaste
toosmall,butatanyrateitzou
wouldnotopenanyofhen
them.However,onthesecond
keer
timeround,shecameuponeen
alowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbefore,en
andbehinditwasakleine
littledooraboutfifteenincheshoog
high:shetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,
en
andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Alice
opende
openedthedoorandfounddat
thatitledintoakleine
smallpassage,notmuchlargerdan
thanarat-hole:sheknelt
neer
downandlookedalongthepassageintode
theloveliestgardenyouevergezien
saw.Howshelongedtoget
uit
outofthatdarkhall,en
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersen
andthosecoolfountains,butshekon
couldnotevengetherhoofd
headthroughthedoorway;“and
zelfs
evenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”dacht
thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofheel
verylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,howI
wou dat
wishIcouldshutupals
likeatelescope!IthinkI
kunnen
could,ifIonlyknewhoe
howtobegin.”For,you
zie
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadgebeurd
happenedlately,thatAlicehadbeguntodenken
thinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwereecht
reallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobe
geen
nouseinwaitingbythekleine
littledoor,soshewentterug
backtothetable,halfhoop
hopingshemightfindanotherkeyonit,of
oratanyrateaboek
bookofrulesforshuttingmensen
peopleupliketelescopes:this
keer
timeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”zei
saidAlice,)androundtheneckofde
thebottlewasapaperlabel,met
withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasall
heel
verywelltosay“Drinkme,”maar
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodoen
dothatinahurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
zei
said,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;forshehad
gelezen
readseveralnicelittlehistoriesover
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,en
andeatenupbywildbeastsen
andotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotherinneren
rememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:suchas,
dat
thatared-hotpokerwillburnyouifyouholditte
toolong;andthatifyou
snijdt
cutyourfingerverydeeplymet
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;en
andshehadneverforgottendat
that,ifyoudrinkmuchfromeen
abottlemarked“poison,”itisbijna
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerof
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotaste
het
it,andfindingitverymooi
nice,(ithad,infact,een
asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,en
andhotbutteredtoast,)sheheel
verysoonfinisheditoff.“What
een
acuriousfeeling!”saidAlice;
“I
moet
mustbeshuttinguplikeeen
atelescope.”Andsoitwasindeed:
shewas
nu
nowonlytenincheshigh,en
andherfacebrightenedupatde
thethoughtthatshewasnu
nowtherightsizeforgaan
goingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.Eerst
First,however,shewaitedforapaar
fewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:she
voelde
feltalittlenervousaboutdit
this;“foritmightend,youknow,”
zei
saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,als
likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
moeten
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
probeerde
triedtofancywhattheflameofeen
acandleislikeafterde
thecandleisblownout,forshekon
couldnotremembereverhavinggezien
seensuchathing.After
een
awhile,findingthatnothingmeer
morehappened,shedecidedongaan
goingintothegardenatonce;maar
but,alasforpoorAlice!toen
whenshegottothedeur
door,shefoundshehadvergeten
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,en
andwhenshewentbacktode
thetableforit,shefoundshekon
couldnotpossiblyreachit:she
kon
couldseeitquiteplainlydoor
throughtheglass,andsheprobeerde
triedherbesttoclimbupeen
oneofthelegsofthetable,maar
butitwastooslippery;en
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithproberen
trying,thepoorlittlethingzitten
satdownandcried.“Come,there’s
geen
nouseincryinglikethat!”zei
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;“Iadviseyouto
vertrekken
leaveoffthisminute!”Shegenerally
gaf
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughshezeer
veryseldomfollowedit),andsoms
sometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobracht
bringtearsintohereyes;en
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxhereigen
ownearsforhavingcheatedherselfineen
agameofcroquetshewasspeelde
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriouskind
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwee
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
dacht
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwee
twopeople!Why,there’shardly
genoeg
enoughofmelefttomaken
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
viel
fellonalittleglassboxdie
thatwaslyingunderthetable:she
opende
openedit,andfoundiniteen
averysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”
zei
saidAlice,“andifitmaakt
makesmegrowlarger,Ikan
canreachthekey;and
als
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ikan
cancreepunderthedoor;soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,
en
andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”She
at
atealittlebit,andzei
saidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?Whichway?”,
hield
holdingherhandonthetopofherhoofd
headtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,en
andshewasquitesurprisedtovinden
findthatsheremainedthedezelfde
samesize:tobesure,
dit
thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeet
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsoveel
muchintothewayofexpectingniets
nothingbutout-of-the-waythingstogebeuren
happen,thatitseemedquitedullen
andstupidforlifetogaan
gooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.
De
ThePoolofTears“Curiouser
en
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,
dat
thatforthemomentshehelemaal
quiteforgothowtospeakgoed
goodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningout
als
likethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
toen
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobebijna
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsover
faroff).“Oh,mypoor
kleine
littlefeet,Iwonderwhozal
willputonyourshoesen
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
zeker
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyself
over
aboutyou:youmustmanage
de
thebestwayyoucan;—butImoet
mustbekindtothem,”dacht
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkde
thewayIwanttogaan
go!Letmesee:
I’ll
geef
givethemanewpairofbootselk
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
plannen
planningtoherselfhowshezou
wouldmanageit.“Theymustgoby
de
thecarrier,”shethought;“and
hoe
howfunnyit’llseem,sendingpresentstoone’seigen
ownfeet!Andhowodd
de
thedirectionswilllook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Net
Justthenherheadstrucktegen
againsttheroofofthehall:infactshewas
nu
nowmorethanninefeethoog
high,andsheatoncenam
tookupthelittlegoldenkeyen
andhurriedofftothegardendoor.Arme
PoorAlice!Itwasas
veel
muchasshecoulddo,liggen
lyingdownononeside,tokijken
lookthroughintothegardenmet
withoneeye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
she
zitten
satdownandbegantocryweer
again.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”
zei
saidAlice,“agreatgirlals
likeyou,”(shemightwellzei
saythis),“togooncryinginthismanier
way!Stopthismoment,I
zeg
tellyou!”Butshewenton
alle
allthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,totdat
untiltherewasalargepoolalle
allroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepen
andreachinghalfdownthehall.Na
Afteratimesheheardeen
alittlepatteringoffeetinde
thedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestozien
seewhatwascoming.Itwasthe
Witte
WhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,met
withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehand
handandalargefanintheandere
other:hecametrottingalongin
een
agreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashekwam
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
als
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
voelde
feltsodesperatethatshewasklaar
readytoaskhelpofanyone;so,
toen
whentheRabbitcamenearhaar
her,shebegan,inalow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbit
begon
startedviolently,droppedthewhitekidglovesen
andthefan,andskurriedweg
awayintothedarknessashard
hardashecouldgo.Alice
nam
tookupthefanandgloves,en
and,asthehallwaserg
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetijd
timeshewentontalking:“Dear,dear!
Hoe
Howqueereverythingisto-day!En
Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.IwonderifI’vebeen
veranderd
changedinthenight?Letmethink:
wasIthe
hetzelfde
samewhenIgotupthismorning?I
bijna
almostthinkIcanremembervoelde
feelingalittledifferent.But
als
ifI’mnotthesame,de
thenextquestionis,Whoinde
theworldamI?Ah,that’s
de
thegreatpuzzle!”Andshebegan
denken
thinkingoverallthechildrenshekende
knewthatwereofthedezelfde
sameageasherself,tozien
seeifshecouldhavebeenveranderd
changedforanyofthem.“I’m
zeker
sureI’mnotAda,”shezei
said,“forherhairgoesinzulke
suchlongringlets,andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;en
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIweet
knowallsortsofthings,en
andshe,oh!sheknowssuchavery
weinig
little!Besides,she’sshe,andI’m
Ik
I,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingitallis
is!I’lltryifI
weet
knowallthethingsIusedtoweet
know.Letmesee:
fourtimes
vijf
fiveistwelve,andfourtimeszes
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
nooit
nevergettotwentyatdat
thatrate!However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’s
proberen
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
en
andParisisthecapitalofRome,en
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!I
moet
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
proberen
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”en
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,en
andbegantorepeatit,maar
buthervoicesoundedhoarseen
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotkwamen
comethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoththe
kleine
littlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,En
AndpourthewatersoftheNileOnelke
everygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,
Hoe
Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,En
AndwelcomelittlefishesinMet
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
zeker
surethosearenotthejuiste
rightwords,”saidpoorAlice,en
andhereyesfilledwithtearsweer
againasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,en
andIshallhavetogaan
goandliveinthatpokykleine
littlehouse,andhavenexttogeen
notoystoplaywith,en
andoh!eversomanylessonsto
leren
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymind
over
aboutit;ifI’mMabel,I’ll
blijf
staydownhere!It’llbe
geen
nousetheirputtingtheirheadsdownen
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallalleen
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Zeg
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,ifIlikebeingthatpersoon
person,I’llcomeup:ifnot,I’ll
blijf
staydownheretillI’miemand
somebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,
met
withasuddenburstoftears,“Idowou dat
wishtheywouldputtheirheadsdown!Iamsoverytiredofbeingall
alleen
alonehere!”Asshesaid
dit
thisshelookeddownatherhands,en
andwassurprisedtoseedat
thatshehadputoneen
oneoftheRabbit’slittlewitte
whitekidgloveswhileshewassprak
talking.“HowcanIhavedonethat?”
she
dacht
thought.“Imustbegrowing
klein
smallagain.”Shegotup
en
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,en
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshekon
couldguess,shewasnowongeveer
abouttwofeethigh,andwasging
goingonshrinkingrapidly:she
snel
soonfoundoutthattheoorzaak
causeofthiswasthefanshewasholding,en
andshedroppedithastily,net
justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
een
anarrowescape!”