CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisteronthe
bank
bank,andofhavingnothingtodo:onceor
zweimal
twiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),
ob
whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbewert
worththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,whenplötzlich
suddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!
Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohavewonderedatthis,butatthetimeitall
schien
seemedquitenatural);butwhentheRabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoher
füße
feet,foritflashedacrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,andburningwithcuriosity,sheranüber
acrossthefieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdownalargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.
Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendipped
plötzlich
suddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaverydeepwell.Eitherthewellwasvery
tief
deep,orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtohappennext.First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoo
dunkel
darktoseeanything;thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;
hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;
itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwas
leer
empty:shedidnotliketo
fallen
dropthejarforfearofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“IwonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”
shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearth.
Letmesee:
thatwouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”
(for,yousee,Alicehadlearnt
mehrere
severalthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgoodpraxis
practicetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)
Presentlyshe
begann
beganagain.“IwonderifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!
Howfunnyit’ll
scheinen
seemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
ziemlich
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
begann
begantalkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”
(Dinahwasthecat.)
“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.
Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeamouse,youknow.
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlice
begann
begantogetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjustbeguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:
didyouevereatabat?”
when
plötzlich
suddenly,thump!thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshejumpedupontoher
füße
feetinamoment:shelookedup,butitwasall
dunkel
darkoverhead;beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethe
wind
wind,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeseen:
shefoundherselfinalong,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroof.
Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,buttheywerealllocked;
andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthe
mitte
middle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.Plötzlich
Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedtisch
table,allmadeofsolidglas
glass;therewasnothingonit
außer
exceptatinygoldenkey,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoo
groß
large,orthekeywastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.Jedoch
However,onthesecondtimerunde
round,shecameuponalowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:shetriedthelittlegolden
schlüssel
keyinthelock,andtohergreatdelightitpasste
fitted!Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:
shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversaw.
Howshelongedtogetoutofthatdarkhall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;
“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehadbeguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereally
unmöglich
impossible.Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothe
tisch
table,halfhopingshemightfindanotherschlüssel
keyonit,oratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“which
sicherlich
certainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)androundthehals
neckofthebottlewasapaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andsee
ob
whetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;forshehadread
mehrere
severalnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotverbrannt
burnt,andeatenupbywildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:suchas,thatared-hotpokerwill
verbrennen
burnyouifyouholdittoolong;andthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywitha
messer
knife,itusuallybleeds;andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfromabottlemarked“poison,”itisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorlater.
Jedoch
However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtogeschmack
tasteit,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtherightsizeforgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.
First,
jedoch
however,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyweiter
further:shefeltalittle
nervös
nervousaboutthis;“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
IwonderwhatIshouldbelikethen?”
Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleisblownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.
Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,shedecidedongoingintothegardenatonce;
but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegolden
schlüssel
key,andwhenshewentbacktothetisch
tableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblyerreichen
reachit:shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughthe
glas
glass,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable,butitwastooslippery;andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownandcried.
“Come,there’snouseincryinglikethat!”
saidAlicetoherself,
eher
rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwopeople.
“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonher
auge
eyefellonalittleglassboxthatwaslag
lyingunderthetable:sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifully
markiert
markedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ican
erreichen
reachthekey;andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”
Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,andshewasquitesurprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesamesize:
tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatit
schien
seemedquitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);
“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownather
füße
feet,theyseemedtobealmostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittle
füße
feet,Iwonderwhowillputonyourschuhe
shoesandstockingsforyounow,dears?I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’llseem,sendingpresentstoone’sown
füße
feet!Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:
infactshewasnowmorethan
neun
ninefeethigh,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegoldenschlüssel
keyandhurriedofftothegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,
liegen
lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothegardenwithoneauge
eye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownand
begann
begantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togooncryinginthisway!
Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasalargepoolallroundher,aboutfourinches
tief
deepandreachinghalfdownthehall.Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.
ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehandandalargefanintheother:
hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whentheRabbitcamenearher,she
begann
began,inalow,timidstimme
voice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbitstartedviolently,droppedthewhitekidglovesandthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldgo.
Alicetookupthefanandgloves,and,asthehallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:
“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
And
gestern
yesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.IwonderifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?
Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshe
begann
beganthinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesamealter
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
sieben
sevenis—ohdear!Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
Jedoch
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’stryGeography.
LondonisthecapitalofParis,andParisisthecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!
ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,and
begann
begantorepeatit,butherstimme
voicesoundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!
“Howcheerfullyhe
scheint
seemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlylächeln
smilingjaws!”“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonsto
lernen
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
tisch
tabletomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwofuß
feethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewasholding,andshedroppedithastily,justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.
“Thatwasanarrowescape!”