CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisteronthebank,andofhavingnothingtodo:
onceortwiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”
Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyaWhite
Coniglio
Rabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytohearthe
Coniglio
Rabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitover
dopo
afterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohavewonderedatthis,butatthetimeitallseemedquitenatural);butwhenthe
Coniglio
Rabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritlampeggiato
flashedacrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenaconiglio
rabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,andburningwithcuriosity,sheranacrossthefieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpop
popdownalargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronce
considerando
consideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendippedsuddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaverydeepwell.
Eitherthewellwasverydeep,orshefellvery
lentamente
slowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtohappennext.First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoodarktoseeanything;
thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;
hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;
itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:
shedidnotliketodropthejarforfearofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.
“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdown
scale
stairs!Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasvery
probabilmente
likelytrue.)Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“IwonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”
shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearth.
Letmesee:
thatwouldbefourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”
(for,yousee,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygood
occasione
opportunityforshowingoffherconoscenza
knowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgoodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)
Presentlyshebeganagain.
“IwonderifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!
Howfunnyit’llseemtocomeout
tra
amongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewasrathergladtherewasnoonelistening,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’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.
Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikea
topo
mouse,youknow.Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?
Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjustbeguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:
didyouevereatabat?”
whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetinamoment:
shelookedup,butitwasalldarkoverhead;
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhite
Coniglio
Rabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethewind,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturneda
angolo
corner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,butthe
Coniglio
Rabbitwasnolongertobeseen:shefoundherselfinalong,low
sala
hall,whichwaslitupbyafila
rowoflampshangingfromthetetto
roof.Thereweredoorsallroundthe
sala
hall,buttheywerealllocked;andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthemiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.
Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedtable,allmadeof
massiccio
solidglass;therewasnothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmight
appartenere
belongtooneofthedoorsofthesala
hall;but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoolarge,orthekeywastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.
However,onthesecondtimeround,shecameuponalowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:
shetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,andtohergreatdelightitfitted!
Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:
shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliest
giardino
gardenyoueversaw.Howshelongedtogetoutofthatdark
sala
hall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehadbeguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereallyimpossible.
Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothetable,halfhopingshemightfindanotherkeyonit,oratany
tasso
rateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasapaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.
Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;
forshehadreadseveralnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,andeatenupbywildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthem:
suchas,thatared-hotpokerwillburnyouifyouholdittoolong;
andthatifyoucutyour
dito
fingerverydeeplywithaknife,itusuallybleeds;andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfromabottlemarked“poison,”itisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyou,
prima
soonerorlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotasteit,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortof
misto
mixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtherightsizeforgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovely
giardino
garden.First,however,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:
shefeltalittlenervousaboutthis;
“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
IwonderwhatIshouldbelikethen?”
Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleisblownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.
Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,shedecidedongoingintothe
giardino
gardenatonce;but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegoldenkey,andwhenshewentbacktothetableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblyreachit:
shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughtheglass,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthetable,butitwastooslippery;
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownandcried.
“Come,there’snouseincryinglikethat!”
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;
“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygood
consigli
advice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondof
fingere
pretendingtobetwopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonhereyefellonalittleglassboxthatwaslyingunderthetable:
sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmall
torta
cake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesmegrowlarger,Icanreachthekey;
andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothe
giardino
garden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,andshewasquitesurprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesamesize:
tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeats
torta
cake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatitseemedquitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecomune
commonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);
“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobealmostoutof
vista
sight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittlefeet,Iwonderwhowillputonyourshoesandstockingsforyounow,dears?
I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanew
paio
pairofbootseveryChristmas.”Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’llseem,sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!
Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,what
sciocchezze
nonsenseI’mtalking!”Justthenherhead
colpito
struckagainsttheroofofthesala
hall:infactshewasnowmorethanninefeethigh,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegoldenkeyandhurriedofftothe
giardino
gardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothe
giardino
gardenwithoneeye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownandbegantocryagain.
“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togooncryinginthisway!
Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasalarge
piscina
poolallroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepandreachinghalfdownthehall.Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,andshehastily
asciugò
driedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhite
Coniglio
Rabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,withapaio
pairofwhitekidglovesinonehandandalargefanintheother:hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whenthe
Coniglio
Rabbitcamenearher,shebegan,inalow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”The
Coniglio
Rabbitstartedviolently,droppedthewhitekidglovesandtheventilatore
fan,andskurriedawayintothebuio
darknessashardashecouldgo.Alicetookupthe
ventilatore
fanandgloves,and,asthesala
hallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
Andyesterdaythingswentonjustas
solito
usual.IwonderifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?
Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshebeganthinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesameageasherself,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,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!
Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’stryGeography.
Londonisthe
capitale
capitalofParis,andParisisthecapitale
capitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,andbegantorepeatit,buthervoicesoundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.
“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehis
splendente
shiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,Howneatly
diffondere
spreadhisclaws,AndwelcomelittlefishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonstolearn!
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.”
Shegotupandwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,as
quasi
nearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwofeethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthe
ventilatore
fanshewasholding,andshedroppedithastily,justintimetoevitare
avoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”