CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
commençait
beginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersœur
sisteronthebank,andofhavingrien
nothingtodo:onceor
deux fois
twiceshehadpeepedintole
thebookhersisterwaslisait
reading,butithadnopicturesou
orconversationsinit,“andwhatisle
theuseofabook,”pensa
thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherown
esprit
mind(aswellasshepouvait
could,forthehotdaymadehersentir
feelverysleepyandstupid),si
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,foritflashedtravers
acrosshermindthatshehadjamais
neverbeforeseenarabbitavec
witheitherawaistcoat-pocket,oramontre
watchtotakeoutofit,et
andburningwithcuriosity,shecourut
ranacrossthefieldafterit,et
andfortunatelywasjustintemps
timetoseeitpopdownagrand
largerabbit-holeunderthehedge.In
autre
anothermomentdownwentAliceaprès
afterit,neveronceconsideringcomment
howintheworldshewastogetsortir
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraighton
comme
likeatunnelforsomefaçon
way,andthendippedsuddenlybas
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotun
amomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfavant
beforeshefoundherselffallingbas
downaverydeepwell.Soit
Eitherthewellwasveryprofond
deep,orshefellverylentement
slowly,forshehadplentyoftemps
timeasshewentdowntoregarder
lookaboutherandtose demander
wonderwhatwasgoingtoarriver
happennext.First,shetriedto
regarder
lookdownandmakeoutwhatshewasvenait
comingto,butitwastrop
toodarktoseeanything;thenshe
regarda
lookedatthesidesofles
thewell,andnoticedthattheywereremplis
filledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;ici
hereandthereshesawmapset
andpictureshunguponpegs.She
pris
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassant
passed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
mais
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasvide
empty:shedidnotliketodrop
le
thejarforfearoftuer
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtomettre
putitintooneofle
thecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuch
une
afallasthis,Ishallthinkrien
nothingoftumblingdownstairs!How
brave
bravethey’llallthinkmeatmaison
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
rien
anythingaboutit,evenifItombe
felloffthetopofla
thehouse!”(Whichwasvery
probablement
likelytrue.)Down,down,down.
Would
la
thefallnevercometoanend?“I
demande
wonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbyce
thistime?”shesaidaloud.
“I
dois
mustbegettingsomewherenearla
thecentreoftheearth.Laissez
Letmesee:thatwouldbe
quatre
fourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”(for,you
voyez
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,et
andthoughthiswasnotatrès
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherconnaissances
knowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoses
her,stillitwasgoodpratique
practicetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIdemande
wonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alicehad
non
noideawhatLatitudewas,ou
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Actuellement
Presentlyshebeganagain.“I
demande
wonderifIshallfallrighttravers
throughtheearth!Howfunnyit’ll
sembler
seemtocomeoutamongthegens
peoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsvers le bas
downward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
plutôt
rathergladtherewasnoonelistening,thisfois
time,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’llrememberher
soucoupe
saucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredown
ici
herewithme!Thereare
pas
nomiceintheair,I’mpeur
afraid,butyoumightcatchune
abat,andthat’sverycomme
likeamouse,youknow.Mais
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”Et
AndhereAlicebegantogetplutôt
rathersleepy,andwentondire
sayingtoherself,inadreamysorte
sortofway,“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,andshesauté
jumpedupontoherpieds
feetinamoment:shelookedup,
mais
butitwasalldarkoverhead;avant
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage
passage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinvue
sight,hurryingdownit.Therewasnot
un
amomenttobelost:awaywentAlicelike
le
thewind,andwasjustintemps
timetohearitsay,asittournait
turnedacorner,“Ohmyearset
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
proche
closebehinditwhenshetourné
turnedthecorner,buttheLapin
Rabbitwasnolongertobevoir
seen:shefoundherselfin
une
along,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyune
arowoflampshangingfromthetoit
roof.Thereweredoorsallround
la
thehall,buttheywerealllocked;et
andwhenAlicehadbeentout
allthewaydownonecôté
sideanduptheother,essayant
tryingeverydoor,shewalkedtristement
sadlydownthemiddle,wonderingcomment
howshewasevertogetsortir
outagain.Suddenlyshecameupon
une
alittlethree-leggedtable,allmadeofmassif
solidglass;therewasnothingonitexceptatiny
or
goldenkey,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitpourrait
mightbelongtooneofla
thedoorsofthehall;mais
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
trop
toolarge,orthekeywastrop
toosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopentout
anyofthem.However,on
la
thesecondtimeround,shevenue
cameuponalowcurtainshehadnotremarqué
noticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittleporte
dooraboutfifteenincheshigh:she
essayé
triedthelittlegoldenkeyinla
thelock,andtohergrand
greatdelightitfitted!Alice
ouvrit
openedthedoorandfoundthatitmenait
ledintoasmallpassage,notbeaucoup
muchlargerthanarat-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
couldshutuplikeatélescope
telescope!IthinkIcould,
si
ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”For,yousee,so
beaucoup
manyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,que
thatAlicehadbeguntopenser
thinkthatveryfewthingsen effet
indeedwerereallyimpossible.There
semblait
seemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittleporte
door,soshewentbacktothetable
table,halfhopingshemighttrouver
findanotherkeyonit,ou
oratanyratealivre
bookofrulesforshuttinggens
peopleupliketelescopes:this
fois
timeshefoundalittlebouteille
bottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotici
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundthecou
neckofthebottlewasune
apaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”magnifiquement
beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasall
très
verywelltosay“Drinkme,”mais
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtofaire
dothatinahurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
dit
said,“andseewhetherit’smarqué
marked‘poison’ornot”;forshehad
lu
readseveralnicelittlehistoriessur
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,et
andeatenupbywildbeastset
andotherunpleasantthings,allcar
becausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:such
comme
as,thatared-hotpokerwillbrûlera
burnyouifyouholdittrop
toolong;andthatifyou
coupez
cutyourfingerverydeeplyavec
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;et
andshehadneverforgottenque
that,ifyoudrinkmuchfromabouteille
bottlemarked“poison,”itispresque
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerou
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAlice
aventurée
venturedtotasteit,andtrouvant
findingitverynice,(ithad,infait
fact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,crème
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
seeifshewasgoingtorétrécir
shrinkanyfurther:shefelt
un
alittlenervousaboutthis;“forit
pourrait
mightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmyaller
goingoutaltogether,likeabougie
candle.IwonderwhatI
devrais
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
essayé
triedtofancywhattheflamme
flameofacandleiscomme
likeafterthecandleisblownout,forshepouvait
couldnotremembereverhavingvu
seensuchathing.After
un
awhile,findingthatnothingplus
morehappened,shedecidedonpassé
goingintothegardenatfois
once;but,alasforpoorAlice!
quand
whenshegottotheporte
door,shefoundshehadoublié
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,et
andwhenshewentbacktola
thetableforit,shetrouvé
foundshecouldnotpossiblyatteindre
reachit:shecouldseeitquite
clairement
plainlythroughtheglass,andsheessayé
triedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable
table,butitwastooglissant
slippery;andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,
la
thepoorlittlethingsatdownet
andcried.“Come,there’snousein
pleurer
cryinglikethat!”saidAlicetoherself,
plutôt
rathersharply;“Iadviseyouto
partir
leaveoffthisminute!”She
généralement
generallygaveherselfverygoodconseils
advice,(thoughsheveryseldomsuivait
followedit),andsometimessheréprimandait
scoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;et
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinajeu
gameofcroquetshewasjouait
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriousenfant
childwasveryfondofsemblant
pretendingtobetwopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
pensa
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobedeux
twopeople!Why,there’shardlyenoughofmeleftto
faire
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonher
œil
eyefellonalittleverre
glassboxthatwaslyingsous
underthetable:sheopenedit,
et
andfoundinitatrès
verysmallcake,onwhichles
thewords“EATME”weremagnifiquement
beautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”
dit
saidAlice,“andifitfait
makesmegrowlarger,Ipeux
canreachthekey;and
si
ifitmakesmegrowpetit
smaller,Icancreepunderla
thedoor;soeitherwayI’llgetinto
le
thegarden,andIdon’tcarequi
whichhappens!”Sheatealittlebit,
et
andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?Whichway?”,
tenant
holdingherhandonthehaut
topofherheadtosentir
feelwhichwayitwasgrandissait
growing,andshewasquitesurpris
surprisedtofindthatsherestée
remainedthesamesize:tobe
sûr
sure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenonemange
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintola
thewayofexpectingnothingmais
butout-of-the-waythingstohappen,que
thatitseemedquitedullet
andstupidforlifetogooninla
thecommonway.CHAPTERII.
La
ThePoolofTears“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
pleura
criedAlice(shewassomuchsurpris
surprised,thatforthemomentshetout à fait
quiteforgothowtospeakbon
goodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningout
comme
likethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
quand
whenshelookeddownatherpieds
feet,theyseemedtobepresque
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,my
pauvres
poorlittlefeet,Iwonderqui
whowillputonyourchaussures
shoesandstockingsforyoumaintenant
now,dears?I’msureIshan’tbe
capable
able!Ishallbeagreatdeal
trop
toofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:youmust
gérer
managethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”pensa
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’tmarcheront
walkthewayIwanttoaller
go!Letmesee:
I’ll
donnerai
givethemanewpairofbootschaque
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
planifier
planningtoherselfhowsheallait
wouldmanageit.“Theymust
aller
gobythecarrier,”shepensait
thought;“andhowfunnyit’ll
paraître
seem,sendingpresentstoone’sownpieds
feet!Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,what
bêtises
nonsenseI’mtalking!”Justthenher
tête
headstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:in
fait
factshewasnowmorethanninepieds
feethigh,andsheatoncepris
tookupthelittlegoldenclé
keyandhurriedofftola
thegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshe
pouvait
coulddo,lyingdownonun
oneside,tolookthroughintole
thegardenwithoneeye;mais
buttogetthroughwasplus
morehopelessthanever:shesatdown
et
andbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobe
honte
ashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatfille
girllikeyou,”(shemightbien
wellsaythis),“togoonpleurer
cryinginthisway!Stop
ce
thismoment,Itellyou!”Mais
Butshewentonallla
thesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,jusqu'à
untiltherewasalargepiscine
poolallroundher,aboutquatre
fourinchesdeepandreachingmoitié
halfdownthehall.After
un
atimesheheardapetit
littlepatteringoffeetinles
thedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestovoir
seewhatwascoming.Itwas
le
theWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlyhabillé
dressed,withapairofblanc
whitekidglovesinonemain
handandalargefaninle
theother:hecametrottingalongin
une
agreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashevenu
came,“Oh!theDuchess,the
Duchesse
Duchess!Oh!
won’tshebe
sauvage
savageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
sentait
feltsodesperatethatshewasreadytodemander
askhelpofanyone;so,
quand
whentheRabbitcamenearher,shecommencé
began,inalow,timidvoix
voice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”The
Lapin
Rabbitstartedviolently,droppedthewhiteenfant
kidglovesandthefan,et
andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashepouvait
couldgo.Alicetookupthe
ventilateur
fanandgloves,and,asthehallwastrès
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselftout
allthetimeshewentonparler
talking:“Dear,dear!
Howqueer
tout
everythingisto-day!Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.
I
demande
wonderifI’vebeenchangedinla
thenight?Letmethink:
wasI
la
thesamewhenIgotupce
thismorning?IalmostthinkIcanremember
sentie
feelingalittledifferent.But
si
ifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestion
questionis,WhointheworldamJe
I?Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Et
Andshebeganthinkingovertous
allthechildrensheknewqui
thatwereofthesameâge
ageasherself,toseesi
ifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofthem.“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,andfourtimessept
sevenis—ohdear!Ishall
jamais
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!Cependant
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’s
essayons
tryGeography.Londonisthe
capitale
capitalofParis,andParisisla
thecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’stout
allwrong,I’mcertain!I
dois
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
essayer
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”et
andshecrossedherhandsonhergenoux
lapasifsheweresayinglessons,et
andbegantorepeatit,mais
buthervoicesoundedhoarseet
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotvenaient
comethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoththe
petit
littlecrocodileImprovehisshiningqueue
tail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOnchaque
everygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyhe
semble
seemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Et
AndwelcomelittlefishesinAvec
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
sûr
surethosearenottherightwords,”dit
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesremplis
filledwithtearsagainasshealler
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
andwenttothetabletomesurer
measureherselfbyit,andtrouvé
foundthat,asnearlyasshepouvait
couldguess,shewasnowaboutdeux
twofeethigh,andwasgoingonrétrécir
shrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundout
que
thatthecauseofthiswastheventilateur
fanshewasholding,andshetomber
droppedithastily,justintemps
timetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
une
anarrowescape!”