CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtoget
sehr
verytiredofsittingbyherschwester
sisteronthebank,andofhavingnichts
nothingtodo:onceortwiceshehadpeepedinto
das
thebookhersisterwasreading,aber
butithadnopicturesorconversationsines
it,“andwhatistheuseofein
abook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherown
verstand
mind(aswellasshekonnte
could,forthehotdaymadeherfeelsehr
verysleepyandstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupund
andpickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyihr
her.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkablein
so
that;nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuch
aus
outofthewaytohören
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoher
dass
thatsheoughttohavewonderedatthis,aber
butatthetimeitallseemedganz
quitenatural);butwhentheRabbit
tatsächlich
actuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,und
andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrossherverstand
mindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwithentweder
eitherawaistcoat-pocket,orauhr
watchtotakeoutofes
it,andburningwithcuriosity,sheranacrossthefieldnach
afterit,andfortunatelywasgerade
justintimetoseeitpopdownalargerabbit-holeunter
underthehedge.Inanother
augenblick
momentdownwentAliceafterit,nie
neveronceconsideringhowinder
theworldshewastogetoutwieder
again.Therabbit-holewentstraightonlike
ein
atunnelforsomeway,und
andthendippedsuddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotein
amomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbevor
beforeshefoundherselffallingunten
downaverydeepwell.Entweder
Eitherthewellwasverydeep,orshefellsehr
veryslowly,forshehadplentyofzeit
timeasshewentdowntolookaboutherund
andtowonderwhatwasgoingtopassieren
happennext.First,shetriedto
schauen
lookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingzu
to,butitwastoodarktosehen
seeanything;thenshelookedat
die
thesidesofthewell,und
andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsund
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
sah
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.Shetookdown
ein
ajarfromoneofder
theshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
aber
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnotliketodropthejarforfearofkilling
jemanden
somebodyunderneath,somanagedtostecken
putitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellvorbei
pastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersucha
sturz
fallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Howbravethey’ll
alle
allthinkmeathome!Warum
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,selbst
evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”(Whichwasverylikely
wahr
true.)Down,down,down.
Would
der
thefallnevercometoein
anend?“Iwonderhow
viele
manymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”shesaidaloud.
“I
muss
mustbegettingsomewherenearder
thecentreoftheearth.Lassen
Letmesee:thatwouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”
(for,you
sehen
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofdieser
thissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,und
andthoughthiswasnotasehr
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,asda
therewasnoonetolistentoihr
her,stillitwasgoodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alicehadno
ahnung
ideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeentweder
either,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebegan
wieder
again.“IwonderifIshall
fallen
fallrightthroughtheearth!Howfunnyit’llseemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethat
laufen
walkwiththeirheadsdownward!Die
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”(shewasratherglad
da
therewasnoonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalldas
therightword)“—butIshallhavetofragen
askthemwhatthenameofdas
thecountryis,youknow.Bitte
Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealandorAustralia?”(andshe
versuchte
triedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refallingdurch
throughtheair!Doyou
glaubst
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatanignorantlittle
mädchen
girlshe’llthinkmeforfrage
asking!No,it’llneverdoto
fragen
ask:perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Unten
Down,down,down.Therewas
nichts
nothingelsetodo,soAlicebald
soonbegantalkingagain.“Dinah’ll
vermissen
missmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwas
die
thecat.)“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.
Dinahmy
liebe
dear!Iwishyouwere
unten
downherewithme!Therearenomiceinthe
luft
air,I’mafraid,butyoukönnte
mightcatchabat,andthat’ssehr
verylikeamouse,youwissen
know.Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
Und
AndhereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,und
andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docatseatbats?”
und
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”for,you
sehen
see,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterder
whichwaysheputit.She
fühlte
feltthatshewasdozingoff,und
andhadjustbeguntoträumen
dreamthatshewaswalkinghand
handinhandwithDinah,und
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,sagte
tellmethetruth:didyouevereat
eine
abat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
downshe
stieß
cameuponaheapofsticksund
anddryleaves,andthefall
fallwasover.Alicewasnot
ein
abithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetinein
amoment:shelookedup,
aber
butitwasalldarkoverhead;vor
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,und
andtheWhiteRabbitwasimmer noch
stillinsight,hurryingdownit.Therewasnota
moment
momenttobelost:away
ging
wentAlicelikethewind,und
andwasjustintimetohören
hearitsay,asitturnedeine
acorner,“Ohmyearsund
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewasclosebehindit
als
whensheturnedthecorner,aber
buttheRabbitwasnolongertobesehen
seen:shefoundherselfinalong,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfrom
die
theroof.Thereweredoors
alle
allroundthehall,buttheywerealle
alllocked;andwhenAlicehadbeen
alle
allthewaydownoneseite
sideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthemiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutwieder
again.Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedtable,allmadeofsolidglass;
therewas
nichts
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,und
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasdass
thatitmightbelongtooneofder
thedoorsofthehall;aber
but,alas!eitherthelocksweretoolarge,orthekeywastoo
klein
small,butatanyrateitwürde
wouldnotopenanyofthem.However,onthesecondtimeround,she
kam
cameuponalowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbefore,und
andbehinditwasalittledooretwa
aboutfifteenincheshigh:shetried
den
thelittlegoldenkeyinden
thelock,andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Alice
öffnete
openedthedoorandfounddass
thatitledintoasmallpassage,notviel
muchlargerthanarat-hole:shekneltdown
und
andlookedalongthepassageintoden
theloveliestgardenyouevergesehen
saw.Howshelongedtoget
aus
outofthatdarkhall,und
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersund
andthosecoolfountains,butshekonnte
couldnotevengetherkopf
headthroughthedoorway;“and
selbst
evenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”dachte
thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofsehr
verylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,howIwishI
könnte
couldshutuplikeatelescope!I
glaube
thinkIcould,ifInur
onlyknewhowtobegin.”For,you
sehen
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadpassiert
happenedlately,thatAlicehadbeguntodenken
thinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerewirklich
reallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobenousein
warten
waitingbythelittledoor,sosheging
wentbacktothetable,halb
halfhopingshemightfindanotherkeyones
it,oratanyrateein
abookofrulesforschließen
shuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnot
hier
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasapaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasall
sehr
verywelltosay“Drinkme,”aber
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtotun
dothatinahurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“and
sehen
seewhetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;forshehadreadseveralnicelittlehistories
über
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,und
andeatenupbywildbeastsund
andotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywurden
wouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:suchas,that
ein
ared-hotpokerwillburnyouwenn
ifyouholdittoolange
long;andthatifyoucutyourfinger
sehr
verydeeplywithaknife,itusuallybleeds;und
andshehadneverforgottendass
that,ifyoudrinkmuchfromabottlemarked“poison,”itisfast
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorspäter
later.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotasteit,
und
andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,eine
asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,und
andhotbutteredtoast,)shesehr
verysoonfinisheditoff.“What
ein
acuriousfeeling!”saidAlice;
“I
muss
mustbeshuttinguplikeein
atelescope.”Andsoitwasindeed:
shewas
jetzt
nowonlytenincheshigh,und
andherfacebrightenedupatdie
thethoughtthatshewasjetzt
nowtherightsizeforgehen
goingthroughthelittledoorintodass
thatlovelygarden.First,however,she
wartete
waitedforafewminutestosehen
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:she
fühlte
feltalittlenervousaboutthis;“forit
könnte
mightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeeine
acandle.IwonderwhatI
sollte
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
versuchte
triedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterdie
thecandleisblownout,forshekonnte
couldnotremembereverhavinggesehen
seensuchathing.Aftera
weile
while,findingthatnothingmorepassiert
happened,shedecidedongoingintoden
thegardenatonce;but,alasforpoorAlice!
als
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegoldenkey,und
andwhenshewentbacktothetableforit,shefoundshekonnte
couldnotpossiblyreachit:she
konnte
couldseeitquiteplainlydurch
throughtheglass,andsheversuchte
triedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable,aber
butitwastooslippery;und
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,das
thepoorlittlethingsatdownund
andcried.“Come,there’snouseincryinglikethat!”
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;
“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherself
sehr
verygoodadvice,(thoughshesehr
veryseldomfollowedit),andmanchmal
sometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;und
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinaspiel
gameofcroquetshewasplayinggegen
againstherself,forthiscuriouskind
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobezwei
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
dachte
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwomenschen
people!Why,there’shardlyenoughofmeleftto
machen
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereyefellon
eine
alittleglassboxthatwaslag
lyingunderthetable:she
öffnete
openedit,andfoundinitasehr
verysmallcake,onwhichdie
thewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“and
wenn
ifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ikann
canreachthekey;and
wenn
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ikann
cancreepunderthedoor;soeitherwayI’llgetinto
den
thegarden,andIdon’tcarewas
whichhappens!”Sheatea
wenig
littlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichweg
way?Whichway?”,holdingher
hand
handonthetopofherheadtofühlen
feelwhichwayitwasgrowing,und
andshewasquitesurprisedtofinden
findthatsheremainedthesamesize:tobe
sicher
sure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,aber
butAlicehadgotsoviel
muchintothewayofexpectingnichts
nothingbutout-of-the-waythingstogeschieht
happen,thatitseemedquitedullund
andstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.
Der
ThePoolofTears“Curiouser
und
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewasso
sehr
muchsurprised,thatforthemoment
momentshequiteforgothowtospeakgut
goodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningoutlike
das
thelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
als
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobefast
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittlefeet,Iwonderwho
wird
willputonyourshoesund
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
sicher
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
you
muss
mustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImuss
mustbekindtothem,”dachte
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkden
thewayIwanttogo!Lassen
Letmesee:I’llgivethem
ein
anewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”Und
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewürde
wouldmanageit.“Theymustgobythecarrier,”she
dachte
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,
schicken
sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!Und
Andhowoddthedirectionswerden
willlook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Gerade
Justthenherheadstruckgegen
againsttheroofofthehall:infactshewas
jetzt
nowmorethanninefeethigh,und
andsheatoncetookupden
thelittlegoldenkeyandhurriedofftoden
thegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasas
viel
muchasshecoulddo,liegen
lyingdownononeside,toschauen
lookthroughintothegardenwithoneeye;aber
buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessals
thanever:shesatdown
und
andbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreat
mädchen
girllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaydiese
this),“togooncryingindiese
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
sage
tellyou!”Butshewenton
alle
allthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasalargepoolalle
allroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepund
andreachinghalfdownthehall.Nach
Afteratimesheheardein
alittlepatteringoffeetinder
thedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestosehen
seewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesin
einem
onehandandalargefanintheother:he
kam
cametrottingalonginagreateile
hurry,mutteringtohimselfashekam
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
wenn
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
fühlte
feltsodesperatethatshewasbereit
readytoaskhelpofanyone;so,
als
whentheRabbitcamenearher,shebegan,inalow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbitstartedviolently,droppedthewhitekidgloves
und
andthefan,andskurriedweg
awayintothedarknessashart
hardashecouldgo.Alicetookupthefan
und
andgloves,and,asthehallwassehr
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthezeit
timeshewentontalking:“Dear,
liebe
dear!Howqueereverythingis
heute
to-day!Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.
Iwonder
ob
ifI’vebeenchangedinder
thenight?Letmethink:
wasIthe
derselbe
samewhenIgotupthismorgen
morning?IalmostthinkIcanremember
gefühlt
feelingalittledifferent.But
wenn
ifI’mnotthesame,thenächste
nextquestionis,Whointhewelt
worldamI?Ah,that’s
das
thegreatpuzzle!”Andshebeganthinking
über
overallthechildrensheknewthatwereofdie
thesameageasherself,tosehen
seeifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofthem.“I’m
sicher
sureI’mnotAda,”shesaid,“forherhaare
hairgoesinsuchlongringlets,und
andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;und
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIknowalle
allsortsofthings,andshe,oh!sheknowssucha
sehr
verylittle!Besides,she’sshe,
und
andI’mI,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingitallis!I’ll
versuchen
tryifIknowalldie
thethingsIusedtoknow.Lassen
Letmesee:fourtimes
fünf
fiveistwelve,andfourtimessechs
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
nie
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!However,
die
theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’s
versuchen
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
und
andParisisthecapitalofRome,und
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!I
muss
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
versuchen
tryandsay‘Howdothdie
thelittle—’”andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,und
andbegantorepeatit,aber
buthervoicesoundedhoarseund
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomedie
thesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoth
das
thelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,Und
Andpourthewatersofdas
theNileOneverygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,
Und
AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
sicher
surethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,und
andhereyesfilledwithtearswieder
againasshewenton,“Imuss
mustbeMabelafterall,und
andIshallhavetogehen
goandliveinthatpokylittlehaus
house,andhavenexttonotoystospielen
playwith,andoh!everso
viele
manylessonstolearn!No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
wenn
ifI’mMabel,I’llstayunten
downhere!It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdown
und
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallnur
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Sagen
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,wenn
ifIlikebeingthatperson
person,I’llcomeup:ifnot,I’ll
bleibe
staydownheretillI’mjemand
somebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,withasuddenburstoftears,“Idowishthey
würden
wouldputtheirheadsdown!Iamsoverytiredofbeingall
allein
alonehere!”Asshesaidthisshelookeddownatherhands,
und
andwassurprisedtoseedass
thatshehadputononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswährend
whileshewastalking.“How
konnte
canIhavedonethat?”she
dachte
thought.“Imustbegrowing
klein
smallagain.”Shegotup
und
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,und
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshekonnte
couldguess,shewasnowetwa
abouttwofeethigh,andwasging
goingonshrinkingrapidly:she
bald
soonfoundoutthattheursache
causeofthiswasthefanshewashielt
holding,andshedroppedithastily,gerade
justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
eine
anarrowescape!”