CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtoget
très
verytiredofsittingbyhersœur
sisteronthebank,andofhavingrien
nothingtodo:onceortwiceshehadpeepedinto
le
thebookhersisterwaslisait
reading,butithadnopicturesou
orconversationsinit,“andwhatisle
theuseofabook,”pensa
thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherown
esprit
mind(aswellasshepouvait
could,forthehotdaymadehersentir
feelverysleepyandstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththepeine
troubleofgettingupandcueillir
pickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyaBlanc
WhiteRabbitwithpinkeyescourut
ranclosebyher.Therewas
rien
nothingsoveryremarkableinthat;nordidAlice
pensait
thinkitsoverymuchoutofthefaçon
waytoheartheRabbitdire
saytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
réfléchit
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttodû
havewonderedatthis,butatthetimeittout
allseemedquitenatural);but
quand
whentheRabbitactuallytookamontre
watchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,et
andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshermindthatshehadjamais
neverbeforeseenarabbitavec
witheitherawaistcoat-pocket,oramontre
watchtotakeoutofit,et
andburningwithcuriosity,shecourut
ranacrossthefieldafterit,et
andfortunatelywasjustintemps
timetoseeitpopdownalargerabbit-holesous
underthehedge.Inanothermoment
bas
downwentAliceafterit,jamais
neveronceconsideringhowinle
theworldshewastogetsortir
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraighton
comme
likeatunnelforsomefaçon
way,andthendippedsuddenlybas
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotun
amomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfavant
beforeshefoundherselffallingbas
downaverydeepwell.Soit
Eitherthewellwasverydeep,ou
orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftemps
timeasshewentdowntoregarder
lookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtoarriver
happennext.First,shetriedto
regarder
lookdownandmakeoutwhatshewasvenait
comingto,butitwastrop
toodarktoseeanything;thenshe
regarda
lookedatthesidesofles
thewell,andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardset
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
voyait
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.She
pris
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
mais
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnotliketodrop
le
thejarforfearoftuer
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtomettre
putitintooneofle
thecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuch
une
afallasthis,Ishallthinkrien
nothingoftumblingdownstairs!Howbravethey’llallthinkmeat
maison
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
rien
anythingaboutit,evenifItombe
felloffthetopofla
thehouse!”(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Bas
Down,down,down.Wouldthe
chute
fallnevercometoanend?“Iwonder
combien
howmanymilesI’vefallenbyce
thistime?”shesaidaloud.
“I
dois
mustbegettingsomewherenearla
thecentreoftheearth.Laissez
Letmesee:thatwouldbe
quatre
fourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”(for,you
voyez
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,et
andthoughthiswasnotatrès
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewaspas
noonetolistentoses
her,stillitwasgoodpracticetodire
sayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeou
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alicehad
non
noideawhatLatitudewas,ou
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebeganagain.
“Iwonder
si
ifIshallfallrighttravers
throughtheearth!Howfunnyit’llseemtocome
sortir
outamongthepeoplethatmarchent
walkwiththeirheadsdownward!Les
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”(shewasrathergladtherewas
pas
noonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundattout
alltherightword)“—butIshalldevoir
havetoaskthemwhatle
thenameofthecountryest
is,youknow.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealand
ou
orAustralia?”(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’re
tombez
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
crois
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatanignorantlittle
fille
girlshe’llthinkmefordemander
asking!No,it’llneverdoto
demander
ask:perhapsIshallseeit
écrit
writtenupsomewhere.”Down,down,
bas
down.Therewasnothingelseto
faire
do,soAlicesoonbeganparler
talkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmevery
beaucoup
muchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwas
le
thecat.)“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.
Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredown
ici
herewithme!Thereare
pas
nomiceintheair,I’mpeur
afraid,butyoumightcatchune
abat,andthat’sverycomme
likeamouse,youknow.Mais
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”Et
AndhereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,et
andwentonsayingtoherself,inune
adreamysortofway,“Docatsmangent
eatbats?Docatseatbats?”
et
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”for,you
voyez
see,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tbeaucoup
muchmatterwhichwayshemis
putit.Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,
et
andhadjustbeguntorêver
dreamthatshewaswalkingmain
handinhandwithDinah,et
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmela
thetruth:didyouever
mangé
eatabat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
bas
downshecameuponaheapofstickset
anddryleaves,andthechute
fallwasover.Alicewasnot
un
abithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetinun
amoment:shelookedup,
mais
butitwasalldarkoverhead;avant
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,et
andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingbas
downit.Therewasnot
un
amomenttobelost:awaywentAlicelike
le
thewind,andwasjustintemps
timetohearitsay,asittournait
turnedacorner,“Ohmyearset
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
proche
closebehinditwhenshetourné
turnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobevoir
seen:shefoundherselfin
une
along,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyune
arowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoorsallround
la
thehall,buttheywerealllocked;et
andwhenAlicehadbeentout
allthewaydownonecôté
sideanduptheother,essayant
tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlybas
downthemiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetsortir
outagain.Suddenlyshecameupon
une
alittlethree-leggedtable,allmadeofsolidglass;therewas
rien
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,et
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitpourrait
mightbelongtooneofla
thedoorsofthehall;mais
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
trop
toolarge,orthekeywastrop
toosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopentout
anyofthem.However,on
la
thesecondtimeround,shevenue
cameuponalowcurtainshehadnotnoticedavant
before,andbehinditwasalittleporte
dooraboutfifteenincheshigh:she
essayé
triedthelittlegoldenkeyinla
thelock,andtohergrand
greatdelightitfitted!Alice
ouvrit
openedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoun
asmallpassage,notmuchlargerde
thanarat-hole:shekneltdown
et
andlookedalongthepassageintole
theloveliestgardenyouevervu
saw.Howshelongedto
obtenir
getoutofthatdarkhall,et
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowerset
andthosecoolfountains,butshepouvait
couldnotevengethertête
headthroughthedoorway;“and
même
evenifmyheadwouldallait
gothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itallait
wouldbeofverylittleusesans
withoutmyshoulders.Oh,howIwishI
pouvoir
couldshutuplikeatelescope!I
pense
thinkIcould,ifIonlysavais
knewhowtobegin.”For,yousee,so
beaucoup
manyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,que
thatAlicehadbeguntopenser
thinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerevraiment
reallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittle
porte
door,soshewentbacktothetable,moitié
halfhopingshemightfindautre
anotherkeyonit,orattout
anyrateabookofrulesforfermer
shuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:cette
thistimeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotici
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasune
apaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasall
très
verywelltosay“Drinkme,”mais
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtofaire
dothatinahurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
dit
said,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’ou
ornot”;forshehad
lu
readseveralnicelittlehistoriessur
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,et
andeatenupbywildbeastset
andotherunpleasantthings,allcar
becausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:such
comme
as,thatared-hotpokerwillburnyousi
ifyouholdittoolongtemps
long;andthatifyou
coupez
cutyourfingerverydeeplyavec
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;et
andshehadneverforgottenque
that,ifyoudrinkmuchfromabottlemarked“poison,”itispresque
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerou
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotasteit,
et
andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infait
fact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,et
andhotbutteredtoast,)shetrès
verysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“I
dois
mustbeshuttinguplikeun
atelescope.”Andsoitwasindeed:
shewas
maintenant
nowonlytenincheshigh,et
andherfacebrightenedupatla
thethoughtthatshewasmaintenant
nowtherightsizeforpasser
goingthroughthelittledoorintoque
thatlovelygarden.First,however,she
attendu
waitedforafewminutestovoir
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:shefelt
un
alittlenervousaboutthis;“forit
pourrait
mightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmyaller
goingoutaltogether,likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
devrais
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
essayé
triedtofancywhattheflameofune
acandleislikeafterla
thecandleisblownout,forshepouvait
couldnotremembereverhavingvu
seensuchathing.After
un
awhile,findingthatnothingplus
morehappened,shedecidedonpassé
goingintothegardenatfois
once;but,alasforpoorAlice!
quand
whenshegottotheporte
door,shefoundshehadoublié
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,et
andwhenshewentbacktola
thetableforit,shetrouvé
foundshecouldnotpossiblyreachit:she
pouvait
couldseeitquiteplainlytravers
throughtheglass,andsheessayé
triedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable,mais
butitwastooslippery;et
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,la
thepoorlittlethingsatdownet
andcried.“Come,there’snouseincrying
comme
likethat!”saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;
“Iadviseyouto
partir
leaveoffthisminute!”Shegenerally
donnait
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,Si
(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),et
andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;et
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinajeu
gameofcroquetshewasjouait
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriousenfant
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobedeux
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
pensa
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobedeux
twopeople!Why,there’shardlyenoughofmeleftto
faire
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
tombé
fellonalittleglassboxqui
thatwaslyingunderthetable:sheopenedit,
et
andfoundinitatrès
verysmallcake,onwhichles
thewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”
dit
saidAlice,“andifitfait
makesmegrowlarger,Ipeux
canreachthekey;and
si
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ipeux
cancreepunderthedoor;soeither
façon
wayI’llgetintothegarden,et
andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”She
mangé
atealittlebit,anddit
saidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?Whichway?”,
tenant
holdingherhandonthehaut
topofherheadtosentir
feelwhichwayitwasgrowing,et
andshewasquitesurprisedtotrouver
findthatsheremainedthemême
samesize:tobesure,
cela
thisgenerallyhappenswhenonemange
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintola
thewayofexpectingnothingmais
butout-of-the-waythingstohappen,que
thatitseemedquitedullet
andstupidforlifetogooninla
thecommonway.CHAPTERII.
La
ThePoolofTears“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
criedAlice
Elle
(shewassomuchsurprised,que
thatforthemomentshetout à fait
quiteforgothowtospeakbon
goodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningout
comme
likethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
quand
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobepresque
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,my
pauvres
poorlittlefeet,Iwonderqui
whowillputonyourshoeset
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
sûr
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbeagreatdeal
trop
toofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:youmustmanage
la
thebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”pensa
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’tmarcheront
walkthewayIwanttoaller
go!Letmesee:
I’ll
donnerai
givethemanewpairofbootschaque
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
planifier
planningtoherselfhowsheallait
wouldmanageit.“Theymust
aller
gobythecarrier,”shepensait
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!
Et
Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Juste
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:in
fait
factshewasnowmorethanninefeethaut
high,andsheatoncepris
tookupthelittlegoldenkeyet
andhurriedofftothegardenporte
door.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshe
pouvait
coulddo,lyingdownonun
oneside,tolookthroughintole
thegardenwithoneeye;mais
buttogetthroughwasplus
morehopelessthanever:shesatdown
et
andbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreat
fille
girllikeyou,”(shemightbien
wellsaythis),“togooncryingincette
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
dis
tellyou!”Butshewenton
tout
allthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,jusqu'à
untiltherewasalargepooltout
allroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepet
andreachinghalfdownthehall.Après
Afteratimesheheardun
alittlepatteringoffeetinles
thedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestovoir
seewhatwascoming.Itwas
le
theWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,avec
withapairofwhiteenfant
kidglovesinonehandet
andalargefaninle
theother:hecametrottingalongin
une
agreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashevenu
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
si
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
sentait
feltsodesperatethatshewasreadytodemander
askhelpofanyone;so,
quand
whentheRabbitcamenearher,shebegan,inalow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbit
commencé
startedviolently,droppedthewhiteenfant
kidglovesandthefan,et
andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashepouvait
couldgo.Alicetookupthefan
et
andgloves,and,asthehallwastrès
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselftout
allthetimeshewentonparler
talking:“Dear,dear!
Howqueer
tout
everythingisto-day!Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.
Iwonder
si
ifI’vebeenchangedinla
thenight?Letmethink:
wasI
la
thesamewhenIgotupce
thismorning?IalmostthinkIcanremember
sentie
feelingalittledifferent.But
si
ifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestion
questionis,WhointheworldamJe
I?Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Et
Andshebeganthinkingovertous
allthechildrensheknewqui
thatwereofthesameageasherself,tovoir
seeifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofthem.“I’msureI’mnotAda,”she
dit
said,“forherhairgoesinsuchlongringlets,et
andminedoesn’tgoinringletsattout
all;andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forI
sais
knowallsortsofthings,et
andshe,oh!sheknowssuchavery
peu
little!Besides,she’sshe,andI’m
Je
I,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingittout
allis!I’lltryifI
sais
knowallthethingsIusedtosais
know.Letmesee:
fourtimes
cinq
fiveistwelve,andfourtimessix
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
jamais
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!However,
la
theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’s
essayons
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
et
andParisisthecapitalofRome,et
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!I
dois
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
essayer
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”et
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapassi
ifsheweresayinglessons,et
andbegantorepeatit,mais
buthervoicesoundedhoarseet
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotvenaient
comethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoththe
petit
littlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,Et
AndpourthewatersoftheNileOnchaque
everygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,
Comment
Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Et
AndwelcomelittlefishesinAvec
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
sûr
surethosearenottherightwords,”dit
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledavec
withtearsagainasshealler
wenton,“ImustbeMabelaprès
afterall,andIshallavoir
havetogoandliveinthatpokylittlemaison
house,andhavenexttonotoystojouer
playwith,andoh!eversomanylessonsto
apprendre
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
si
ifI’mMabel,I’llstaydownici
here!It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdown
et
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallonlyregarderai
lookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Dites
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,si
ifIlikebeingthatpersonne
person,I’llcomeup:ifnot,I’ll
resterai
staydownheretillI’mquelqu'un
somebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,
avec
withasuddenburstoftears,“Idosouhaite
wishtheywouldputtheirheadsbas
down!Iamsoverytiredofbeingallalonehere!”
Asshe
disait
saidthisshelookeddownatherhands,et
andwassurprisedtoseethatshehadmis
putononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswhileshewasparlait
talking.“HowcanIhave
faire
donethat?”shethought.
“I
dois
mustbegrowingsmallagain.”Shegotup
et
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,et
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshepouvait
couldguess,shewasnowaboutdeux
twofeethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundout
que
thatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewastenait
holding,andshedroppedithastily,juste
justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
une
anarrowescape!”