CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
commençait
beginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisterontherive
bank,andofhavingnothingtodo:onceor
deux fois
twiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),
si
whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,whensoudain
suddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!
Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohavewonderedatthis,butatthetimeitall
semblait
seemedquitenatural);butwhentheRabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashed
travers
acrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,andbrûlant
burningwithcuriosity,sherantravers
acrossthefieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdownagrand
largerabbit-holeunderthehedge.InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.
Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendipped
soudainement
suddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaveryprofond
deepwell.Eitherthewellwasvery
profond
deep,orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtose demander
wonderwhatwasgoingtohappennext.First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoo
sombre
darktoseeanything;thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,and
remarqua
noticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshe
passant
passed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwas
vide
empty:shedidnotliketodropthejarfor
peur
fearofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“I
demande
wonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearth.
Letmesee:
thatwouldbefour
mille
thousandmilesdown,Ithink—”(for,yousee,Alicehad
appris
learntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgoodpratique
practicetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIdemande
wonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)
Presentlyshebeganagain.
“I
demande
wonderifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!Howfunnyit’ll
sembler
seemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
plutôt
rathergladtherewasnoonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherightword)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenameofthecountryis,youknow.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealandorAustralia?”
(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refallingthroughtheair!
Doyouthinkyoucouldmanageit?)
“Andwhatanignorantlittlegirlshe’llthinkmeforasking!
No,it’llneverdotoask:
perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Down,down,down.
Therewasnothingelsetodo,soAlicesoonbegantalkingagain.
“Dinah’llmissmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”
(Dinahwasthecat.)
“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerof
lait
milkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeamouse,youknow.
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlice
commencé
begantogetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjust
commencer
beguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:didyouevereatabat?”
when
soudain
suddenly,thump!thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshe
sauté
jumpedupontoherpieds
feetinamoment:shelookedup,butitwasall
sombre
darkoverhead;beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethe
vent
wind,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeseen:
shefoundherselfinalong,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroof.
Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,buttheywerealllocked;
andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthe
milieu
middle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.Soudain
Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedtable
table,allmadeofsolidverre
glass;therewasnothingonitexceptatinygolden
clé
key,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoolarge,orthe
clé
keywastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.Cependant
However,onthesecondtimeround,shecameuponabas
lowcurtainshehadnotremarqué
noticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:shetriedthelittlegolden
clé
keyinthelock,andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatit
menait
ledintoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversaw.
Howshelongedtogetoutofthat
sombre
darkhall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehad
commencé
beguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereallyimpossible
impossible.Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothe
table
table,halfhopingshemightfindanotherclé
keyonit,oratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittle
bouteille
bottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)androundthecou
neckofthebottlewasapapier
paperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andsee
si
whetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;forshehadreadseveralnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,andeatenupbywildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:
suchas,thatared-hotpokerwill
brûlera
burnyouifyouholdittoolong;andthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywitha
couteau
knife,itusuallybleeds;andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfroma
bouteille
bottlemarked“poison,”itisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorlater.Cependant
However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtogoûter
tasteit,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoonterminé
finisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtheright
taille
sizeforgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.First,
cependant
however,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:shefeltalittlenervousaboutthis;
“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
I
demande
wonderwhatIshouldbelikethen?”Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleisblownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.
Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,she
décidé
decidedongoingintothegardenatonce;but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegolden
clé
key,andwhenshewentbacktothetable
tableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblyatteindre
reachit:shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughthe
verre
glass,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable
table,butitwastooslippery;andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownand
pleuré
cried.“Come,there’snousein
pleurer
cryinglikethat!”saidAlicetoherself,
plutôt
rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwopeople.
“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonher
œil
eyefellonalittleverre
glassboxthatwaslyingunderthetable
table:sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.
“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesme
grandir
growlarger,Icanreachtheclé
key;andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”
Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwas
grandissait
growing,andshewasquitesurpris
surprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesametaille
size:tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatit
semblait
seemedquitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
pleura
criedAlice(shewassomuchsurpris
surprised,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownather
pieds
feet,theyseemedtobealmostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittle
pieds
feet,Iwonderwhowillputonyourchaussures
shoesandstockingsforyounow,dears?I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’ll
paraître
seem,sendingpresentstoone’sownpieds
feet!Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:
infactshewasnowmorethannine
pieds
feethigh,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegoldenclé
keyandhurriedofftothegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothegardenwithone
œil
eye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownandbeganto
pleurer
cryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togoon
pleurer
cryinginthisway!Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasa
grande
largepoolallroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepandatteignant
reachinghalfdownthehall.Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringof
pieds
feetinthedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidly
habillé
dressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehandandagrand
largefanintheother:hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whentheRabbitcamenearher,she
commencé
began,inalow,timidvoix
voice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbitstartedviolently,
tomber
droppedthewhitekidglovesandthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldgo.Alicetookupthefanandgloves,and,asthehallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:
“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
And
hier
yesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.I
demande
wonderifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshe
commença
beganthinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesameâge
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
sept
sevenis—ohdear!Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
Cependant
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’stryGeography.
LondonisthecapitalofParis,andParisisthecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’m
sûr
certain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshe
croisé
crossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,andcommencé
begantorepeatit,buthervoix
voicesoundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!
“Howcheerfullyhe
semble
seemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonsto
apprendre
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!
Iamsoverytiredofbeingallalonehere!”
Asshesaidthisshelookeddownatherhands,andwassurprisedtoseethatshehadputononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswhileshewastalking.
“HowcanIhavedonethat?”
shethought.
“Imustbegrowingsmallagain.”
Shegotupandwenttothe
table
tabletomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwopieds
feethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewasholding,andshe
tomber
droppedithastily,justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”