CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtogetverytiredof
sedere
sittingbyhersisteronthebank,e
andofhavingnothingtofare
do:onceortwiceshe
aveva
hadpeepedintothebookhersorella
sisterwasreading,butitaveva
hadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”pensò
thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherown
mente
mind(aswellasshecould,forthecaldo
hotdaymadeherfeelverysleepye
andstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupe
andpickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyaBianco
WhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranvicino
closebyher.Therewas
nulla
nothingsoveryremarkableinthat;nordidAlice
pensava
thinkitsoverymuchfuori
outofthewaytosentire
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohcaro
dear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
pensò
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherche
thatsheoughttohavewonderedatquesto
this,butatthetimeittutto
allseemedquitenatural);but
quando
whentheRabbitactuallytookaorologio
watchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,e
andlookedatit,andthenhurriedsu
on,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshermente
mindthatshehadneverbeforevisto
seenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,oraorologio
watchtotakeoutofit,e
andburningwithcuriosity,sheranacrossthefielddopo
afterit,andfortunatelywasproprio
justintimetoseeitpopdownalargerabbit-holesotto
underthehedge.Inanother
momento
momentdownwentAliceafteresso
it,neveronceconsideringhowinthemondo
worldshewastogetuscire
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraighton
come
likeatunnelforsomemodo
way,andthendippedsuddenlygiù
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotun
amomenttothinkaboutfermare
stoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselfcadere
fallingdownaverydeepwell.Either
il
thewellwasverydeep,orshecadde
fellveryslowly,forsheaveva
hadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntoguardare
lookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtosuccesso
happennext.First,shetriedto
guardare
lookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,ma
butitwastoodarktovedere
seeanything;thenshelookedat
i
thesidesofthewell,e
andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardse
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
vedeva
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.She
preso
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
ma
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnotliketodropthejarforfearof
uccidere
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintouno
oneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuch
una
afallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Quanto
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeatcasa
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
niente
anythingaboutit,evenifIcadere
felloffthetopofthehouse!”Che
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)Giù
Down,down,down.Wouldthe
caduta
fallnevercometoanend?“IwonderhowmanymilesI’ve
caduto
fallenbythistime?”she
detto
saidaloud.“Imustbe
arrivare
gettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheterra
earth.Letmesee:
that
sarebbe
wouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”(for,you
vedi
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthistipo
sortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,e
andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityformostrare
showingoffherknowledge,astherewasnon
noonetolistentosua
her,stillitwasgoodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’scirca
abouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeo
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alice
aveva
hadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,ma
butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebeganagain.
“Iwonder
se
ifIshallfallrightattraverso
throughtheearth!Howfunnyit’llseemtocomeoutamongthe
persone
peoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!Le
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”(shewasratherglad
ci
therewasnoonelistening,questa
thistime,asitdidn’tsuonava
soundatalltherightparola
word)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenome
nameofthecountryis,yousai
know.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealand
o
orAustralia?”(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’re
cadendo
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
pensi
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatanignorantlittlegirlshe’ll
penserà
thinkmeforasking!No,it’llneverdoto
chiedere
ask:perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Giù
Down,down,down.Therewasnothingelseto
fare
do,soAlicesoonbeganparlare
talkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmeverymuch
stasera
to-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwas
il
thecat.)“Ihopethey’ll
ricordino
rememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmy
cara
dear!Iwishyouweredown
qui
herewithme!Thereare
non
nomiceintheair,I’mafraid,ma
butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeun
amouse,youknow.Butdocats
mangiano
eatbats,Iwonder?”And
qui
hereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,e
andwentonsayingtoherself,inuna
adreamysortofway,“Docatsmangiano
eatbats?Docatseatbats?”
e
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”for,you
vedete
see,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterche
whichwaysheputit.She
sentiva
feltthatshewasdozingoff,e
andhadjustbeguntodreamche
thatshewaswalkinghandinmano
handwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,dicendo
tellmethetruth:didyouever
mangiato
eatabat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
giù
downshecameuponaheapofstickse
anddryleaves,andthecaduta
fallwasover.Alicewasnot
un
abithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetinun
amoment:shelookedup,
ma
butitwasalldarkoverhead;beforeherwasanother
lungo
longpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasancora
stillinsight,hurryingdownesso
it.Therewasnota
momento
momenttobelost:away
andò
wentAlicelikethewind,e
andwasjustintimetohearitdire
say,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearse
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
vicino
closebehinditwhenshegirato
turnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnon
nolongertobeseen:she
trovò
foundherselfinalong,lowhall,che
whichwaslitupbyuna
arowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoors
tutte
allroundthehall,buttheyweretutte
alllocked;andwhenAlicehadbeenallthe
strada
waydownonesideanduptheother,provando
tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlygiù
downthemiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetuscire
outagain.Suddenlyshecameupon
un
alittlethree-leggedtable,allfatto
madeofsolidglass;therewas
nulla
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,e
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasche
thatitmightbelongtooneofil
thedoorsofthehall;ma
but,alas!eitherthelocksweretoolarge,orthekeywastoosmall,
ma
butatanyrateitwouldnotaperto
openanyofthem.However,onthe
seconda
secondtimeround,shecameuponuna
alowcurtainshehadnotnoticedprima
before,andbehinditwasuna
alittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:she
provato
triedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,e
andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Alice
aprì
openedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoun
asmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanun
arat-hole:shekneltdown
e
andlookedalongthepassageintoil
theloveliestgardenyouevervisto
saw.Howshelongedto
ottenere
getoutofthatdarkhall,e
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowerse
andthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotnemmeno
evengetherheadthroughla
thedoorway;“andevenifmy
testa
headwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleuso
usewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplike
un
atelescope!IthinkIcould,
se
ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”For,you
vedi
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingsaveva
hadhappenedlately,thatAliceaveva
hadbeguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedweredavvero
reallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobe
non
nouseinwaitingbyle
thelittledoor,soshewentbacktole
thetable,halfhopingshepotesse
mightfindanotherkeyonesso
it,oratanyrateun
abookofrulesforchiudere
shuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:questa
thistimeshefoundalittlebottleonesso
it,(“whichcertainlywasnotqui
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundle
theneckofthebottlewasapaperlabel,withle
thewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwas
tutto
allverywelltosay“Drinkme,”ma
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinafretta
hurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
disse
said,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’o
ornot”;forshehad
letto
readseveralnicelittlehistoriessu
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,e
andeatenupbywildbeastse
andotherunpleasantthings,allperché
becausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:such
come
as,thatared-hotpokerwillburnyouse
ifyouholdittoolungo
long;andthatifyou
tagli
cutyourfingerverydeeplydi
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;e
andshehadneverforgottenche
that,ifyoudrinkmuchfromuna
abottlemarked“poison,”itisquasi
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonero
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotasteit,
e
andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,una
asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,e
andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverypresto
soonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
detto
saidAlice;“Imustbeshuttingup
come
likeatelescope.”Andsoitwasindeed:
shewas
ora
nowonlytenincheshigh,e
andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtche
thatshewasnowtherightsizeforgoingattraverso
throughthelittledoorintoche
thatlovelygarden.First,however,she
aspettato
waitedforafewminutestovedere
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:she
sentiva
feltalittlenervousaboutthis;“forit
potrebbe
mightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,come
likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
dovrei
shouldbelikethen?”Andshetriedtofancywhat
la
theflameofacandleiscome
likeafterthecandleisblownout,forshecouldnotricordare
remembereverhavingseensuchuna
athing.Afterawhile,finding
che
thatnothingmorehappened,shedecidedonandare
goingintothegardenatonce;ma
but,alasforpoorAlice!quando
whenshegottotheporta
door,shefoundshehaddimenticato
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,e
andwhenshewentbacktothetableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblyreachit:shecouldseeit
abbastanza
quiteplainlythroughtheglass,e
andshetriedherbesttoclimbupuna
oneofthelegsofil
thetable,butitwastooslippery;e
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutdi
withtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdowne
andcried.“Come,there’snouseincryinglikethat!”
disse
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerally
dava
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),e
andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;e
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinuna
agameofcroquetshewasgiocando
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobedue
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
pensò
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobedue
twopeople!Why,there’shardly
abbastanza
enoughofmelefttofare
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
cadde
fellonalittleglassboxche
thatwaslyingunderthetable:sheopenedit,
e
andfoundinitaverysmallcake,oncui
whichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”
disse
saidAlice,“andifitfa
makesmegrowlarger,Icanreachthekey;e
andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepsotto
underthedoor;soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,
e
andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”She
mangiato
atealittlebit,anddetto
saidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?Whichway?”,
tenendo
holdingherhandonthesuperiore
topofherheadtosentire
feelwhichwayitwasgrowing,andshewaspiuttosto
quitesurprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesamesize:tobesure,
questo
thisgenerallyhappenswhenonemangia
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothemodo
wayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,che
thatitseemedquitedulle
andstupidforlifetoandare
gooninthecommonmodo
way.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouser
e
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,
che
thatforthemomentsheabbastanza
quiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);“nowI’m
aprendo
openingoutlikethelargesttelescopeche
thateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
quando
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobequasi
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittlefeet,Iwonder
chi
whowillputonyourshoese
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
sicuro
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbeagreatdealtoo
lontano
farofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:youmustmanagethebest
modo
wayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”pensò
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’tcammineranno
walkthewayIwanttoandare
go!Letmesee:
I’ll
darò
givethemanewpairofbootsogni
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
pianificare
planningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.“Theymust
andare
gobythecarrier,”shepensò
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!
E
Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Proprio
Justthenherheadstruckcontro
againsttheroofofthehall:in
realtà
factshewasnowmorethanninefeethigh,e
andsheatoncetookupla
thelittlegoldenkeyandhurriedofftola
thegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasas
quanto
muchasshecoulddo,sdraiato
lyingdownononeside,toguardare
lookthroughintothegardenwithun
oneeye;buttogetthroughwas
più
morehopelessthanever:she
sedette
satdownandbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“a
grande
greatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwelldire
saythis),“togooncryinginquesto
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
dico
tellyou!”Butshewentonallthe
stesso
same,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasuna
alargepoolallroundher,circa
aboutfourinchesdeepandreachingmetà
halfdownthehall.After
un
atimesheheardapiccolo
littlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,e
andshehastilydriedhereyestovedere
seewhatwascoming.Itwas
il
theWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,withapairofbianco
whitekidglovesinonemano
handandalargefaninil
theother:hecametrotting
lungo
alonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashevenuto
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
se
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
sentiva
feltsodesperatethatshewasreadytochiedere
askhelpofanyone;so,
quando
whentheRabbitcamenearher,shebegan,inuna
alow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbit
iniziato
startedviolently,droppedthewhitekidglovese
andthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldandare
go.Alicetookupthefan
e
andgloves,and,asthehallwasverycaldo
hot,shekeptfanningherselftutto
allthetimeshewentonparlare
talking:“Dear,dear!
Howqueer
tutto
everythingisto-day!Andyesterdaythings
andate
wentonjustasusual.Iwonder
se
ifI’vebeenchangedinla
thenight?Letmethink:
wasIthe
stesso
samewhenIgotupthismorning?I
quasi
almostthinkIcanrememberfeelingun
alittledifferent.ButifI’mnot
la
thesame,thenextquestionè
is,WhointheworldamI?Ah,that’s
il
thegreatpuzzle!”Andshebegan
pensare
thinkingoverallthechildrensheknewche
thatwereofthesameageasherself,tovedere
seeifshecouldhavebeencambiato
changedforanyofthem.“I’msureI’mnotAda,”she
disse
said,“forherhairgoesinsuchlongringlets,e
andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;e
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIso
knowallsortsofthings,e
andshe,oh!sheknowssuchavery
poco
little!Besides,she’sshe,andI’mI,and—oh
cara
dear,howpuzzlingitallè
is!I’lltryifI
so
knowallthethingsIusedtoso
know.Letmesee:
fourtimes
cinque
fiveistwelve,andfourtimessei
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohcara
dear!Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
However,
la
theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’s
proviamo
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
e
andParisisthecapitalofRome,e
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!I
devo
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
proverò
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”e
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasse
ifsheweresayinglessons,e
andbegantorepeatit,ma
buthervoicesoundedhoarsee
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotvenivano
comethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoththe
piccolo
littlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,E
AndpourthewatersoftheNileOnogni
everygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,
Come
Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,E
AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
sicuro
surethosearenottherightwords,”detto
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsdi nuovo
againasshewenton,“Idovrò
mustbeMabelafterall,e
andIshallhavetoandare
goandliveinthatpokylittlecasa
house,andhavenexttonotoystogiocare
playwith,andoh!eversomanylessonsto
imparare
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
se
ifI’mMabel,I’llstaydownqui
here!It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdown
e
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallsolo
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Dirò
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,se
ifIlikebeingthatperson,I’llcomeup:se
ifnot,I’llstaydownqui
heretillI’msomebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,with
un
asuddenburstoftears,“Idowishtheywouldmesso
puttheirheadsdown!Iamsoverytiredofbeingallalonehere!”
Asshe
diceva
saidthisshelookeddownatherhands,e
andwassurprisedtoseeche
thatshehadputonuno
oneoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidglovesmentre
whileshewastalking.“HowcanI
ho
havedonethat?”shethought.
“I
devo
mustbegrowingsmallagain.”Shegotup
e
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyesso
it,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldindovinare
guess,shewasnowaboutdue
twofeethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:she
presto
soonfoundoutthatthecausa
causeofthiswasthefanshewasteneva
holding,andshedroppedithastily,proprio
justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
una
anarrowescape!”