CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
begon
beginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisterontheoever
bank,andofhavingnothingtodo:onceor
twee keer
twiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),
of
whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,whenplotseling
suddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
noch
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohave
afvragen
wonderedatthis,butatthetimeitallleek
seemedquitenatural);butwhentheRabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoher
voeten
feet,foritflashedacrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,andbrandend
burningwithcuriosity,sheranacrosstheveld
fieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdownagrote
largerabbit-holeunderthehedge.InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.
Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendipped
plotseling
suddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaverydeepwell.Eitherthewellwasvery
diep
deep,orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtohappennext.First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoo
donker
darktoseeanything;thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;
hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;
itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwas
leeg
empty:shedidnotliketodropthejarfor
angst
fearofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“I
vraag me af
wonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewhere
buurt
nearthecentreoftheearth.Letmesee:
thatwouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”
(for,yousee,Alicehad
geleerd
learntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgoodoefening
practicetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenice
grote
grandwordstosay.)Presentlyshe
begon
beganagain.“IwonderifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!
Howfunnyit’ll
lijken
seemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
nogal
rathergladtherewasnoonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherightword)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenameofthecountryis,youknow.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealandorAustralia?”
(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refallingthroughtheair!
Doyouthinkyoucouldmanageit?)
“Andwhatanignorantlittlegirlshe’llthinkmeforasking!
No,it’llneverdotoask:
perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Down,down,down.
Therewasnothingelsetodo,soAlicesoon
begon
begantalkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”
(Dinahwasthe
kat
cat.)“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerof
melk
milkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeamouse,youknow.
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlice
begon
begantogetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjust
begonnen
beguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:didyouevereatabat?”
when
plotseling
suddenly,thump!thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshe
sprong
jumpedupontohervoeten
feetinamoment:shelookedup,butitwasall
donker
darkoverhead;beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethe
wind
wind,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeseen:
shefoundherselfinalong,
lage
lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoorsall
rond
roundthehall,buttheywerealllocked;andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthe
midden
middle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.Plotseling
Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedtafel
table,allmadeofsolidglas
glass;therewasnothingonit
behalve
exceptatinygoldenkey,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoo
groot
large,orthekeywastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.Echter
However,onthesecondtimerond
round,shecameuponalaag
lowcurtainshehadnotopgemerkt
noticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:shetriedthelittlegolden
sleutel
keyinthelock,andtohergreatdelightitpaste
fitted!Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatit
leidde
ledintoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversaw.
Howshelongedtogetoutofthat
donkere
darkhall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehad
begonnen
beguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereallyonmogelijk
impossible.Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothe
tafel
table,halfhopingshemightfindanothersleutel
keyonit,oratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittle
fles
bottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)andrond
roundtheneckofthefles
bottlewasapaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitingrote
largeletters.Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andseewhetherit’s
gemarkeerd
marked‘poison’ornot”;forshehadread
verschillende
severalnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotverbrand
burnt,andeatenupbywilde
wildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotremembertheeenvoudige
simplerulestheirfriendshadgeleerd
taughtthem:suchas,thatared-hotpokerwill
verbranden
burnyouifyouholdittoolong;andthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywitha
mes
knife,itusuallybleeds;andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfroma
fles
bottlemarked“poison,”itisalmostzeker
certaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorlater.Echter
However,thisbottlewasnotgemarkeerd
marked“poison,”soAliceventuredtoproeven
tasteit,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtheright
grootte
sizeforgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatmooie
lovelygarden.First,however,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:
shefeltalittle
nerveus
nervousaboutthis;“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
I
vraag me af
wonderwhatIshouldbelikethen?”Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleis
geblazen
blownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,she
besloot
decidedongoingintothegardenatonce;but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegolden
sleutel
key,andwhenshewentbacktothetafel
tableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblybereiken
reachit:shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughthe
glas
glass,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetafel
table,butitwastooslippery;andwhenshehad
moe
tiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownandhuilde
cried.“Come,there’snousein
huilen
cryinglikethat!”saidAlicetoherself,
nogal
rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwopeople.
“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonher
oog
eyefellonalittleglazen
glassboxthatwaslyingunderthetafel
table:sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifully
gemarkeerd
markedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ican
bereiken
reachthekey;andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”
Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwas
groeide
growing,andshewasquiteverbaasd
surprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesamegrootte
size:tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayof
verwachten
expectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatitleek
seemedquitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
criedAlice(shewassomuch
verbaasd
surprised,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownather
voeten
feet,theyseemedtobealmostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittle
voeten
feet,Iwonderwhowillputonyourschoenen
shoesandstockingsforyounow,dears?I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’ll
lijken
seem,sendingpresentstoone’sownvoeten
feet!Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:
infactshewasnowmorethan
negen
ninefeethigh,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegoldensleutel
keyandhurriedofftothegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothegardenwithone
oog
eye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownand
begon
begantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togoon
huilen
cryinginthisway!Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasa
groot
largepoolallroundher,aboutfourinchesdiep
deepandreachinghalfdownthehall.Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringof
voeten
feetinthedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidly
gekleed
dressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehandandagrote
largefanintheother:hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whentheRabbitcamenearher,she
begon
began,inalow,timidstem
voice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbitstartedviolently,
vallen
droppedthewhitekidglovesandthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldgo.Alicetookupthefanandgloves,and,asthehallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:
“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
And
gisteren
yesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.I
vraag me af
wonderifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshe
begon
beganthinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesameleeftijd
ageasherself,toseeifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofthem.“I’msureI’mnotAda,”shesaid,“forherhairgoesinsuchlongringlets,andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIknowallsortsofthings,andshe,oh!
sheknowssuchaverylittle!
Besides,she’sshe,andI’mI,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingitallis!
I’lltryifIknowallthethingsIusedtoknow.
Letmesee:
fourtimesfiveistwelve,andfourtimessixisthirteen,andfourtimes
zeven
sevenis—ohdear!Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
Echter
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’stryGeography.
LondonisthecapitalofParis,andParisisthecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’m
zeker
certain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshe
kruiste
crossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,andbegon
begantorepeatit,butherstem
voicesoundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!
“Howcheerfullyhe
lijkt
seemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Andwelcomelittlevissen
fishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonsto
leren
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
ifI’mMabel,I’llstaydownhere!
It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdownandsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallonlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,ifIlikebeingthatperson,I’llcomeup:
ifnot,I’llstaydownheretillI’msomebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”
criedAlice,withasuddenburstoftears,“Idowishtheywouldputtheirheadsdown!
Iamsovery
moe
tiredofbeingallalonehere!”Asshesaidthisshelookeddownatherhands,andwas
verbaasd
surprisedtoseethatshehadputononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswhileshewastalking.“HowcanIhavedonethat?”
shethought.
“Imustbegrowingsmallagain.”
Shegotupandwenttothe
tafel
tabletomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwovoet
feethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewasholding,andshe
vallen
droppedithastily,justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”