CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningto
bli
getverytiredofsittingbyhersøster
sisteronthebank,andofha
havingnothingtodo:once
eller
ortwiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersøster
sisterwasreading,butithadde
hadnopicturesorconversationsindet
it,“andwhatisthebruken
useofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpictureseller
orconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinher
eget
ownmind(aswellasshekunne
could,forthehotdaylage
madeherfeelverysleepyog
andstupid),whetherthepleasureoflage
makingadaisy-chainwouldbeworthden
thetroubleofgettingupog
andpickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyen
aWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesløp
ranclosebyher.Therewasnothingso
veldig
veryremarkableinthat;nordidAlicethinkitso
veldig
verymuchoutoftheveien
waytoheartheRabbitsi
saytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
tenkte
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttoha
havewonderedatthis,butatthetiden
timeitallseemedquitenatural);men
butwhentheRabbitactuallytooken
awatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,og
andlookedatit,andthenskyndte
hurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshersinn
mindthatshehadneverfør
beforeseenarabbitwithenten
eitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtota
takeoutofit,andburningmed
withcuriosity,sheranacrossthefieldetter
afterit,andfortunatelywasbare
justintimetoseeitpopned
downalargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.In
en
anothermomentdownwentAliceetter
afterit,neveronceconsideringhvordan
howintheworldshewastokomme
getoutagain.Therabbit-hole
gikk
wentstraightonlikeatunnelfornoen
someway,andthendippedsuddenlyned
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehadde
hadnotamomenttotenke
thinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefant
foundherselffallingdownaveldig
verydeepwell.Eitherthe
brønnen
wellwasverydeep,orshefalt
fellveryslowly,forshehadde
hadplentyoftimeasshegikk
wentdowntolookaboutherog
andtowonderwhatwasgikk
goingtohappennext.First,she
prøvde
triedtolookdownandmakeut
outwhatshewascomingto,men
butitwastoodarktoseenoe
anything;thenshelookedatthesidesofthe
brønnen
well,andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsog
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
så
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.She
tok
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
men
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnot
likte
liketodropthejarforfearofdrepe
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtosette
putitintooneofthecupboardsasshefalt
fellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuch
et
afallasthis,Ishalltenke
thinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Hvor
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathjemme
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
noe
anythingaboutit,evenifIfalt
felloffthetopofthehouse!”(Whichwas
svært
verylikelytrue.)Down,down,
ned
down.Wouldthefallnever
komme
cometoanend?“Iwonder
hvor
howmanymilesI’vefallenbydenne
thistime?”shesaidaloud.
“I
må
mustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreofthejorden
earth.Letmesee:
that
ville
wouldbefourthousandmilesned
down,Ithink—”(for,you
ser
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,og
andthoughthiswasnotaveldig
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasingen
noonetolistentohenne
her,stillitwasgoodpracticetosi
sayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeeller
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alice
hadde
hadnoideawhatLatitudewas,eller
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerefine
nicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebegan
igjen
again.“IwonderifIshall
falle
fallrightthroughtheearth!Hvor
Howfunnyit’llseemtokomme
comeoutamongthepeoplethatgår
walkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewasrathergladtherewas
ingen
noonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’thørtes
soundatalltherightword)“—butIshallmå
havetoaskthemwhatthenavnet
nameofthecountryis,youvet
know.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealand
eller
orAustralia?”(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’re
faller
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
tror
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhat
en
anignorantlittlegirlshe’lltenke
thinkmeforasking!No,it’ll
aldri
neverdotoask:perhapsIshall
se
seeitwrittenupsomewhere.”Ned
Down,down,down.Therewasnothingelseto
gjøre
do,soAlicesoonbegansnakke
talkingagain.“Dinah’llmissme
veldig
verymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwasthecat.)
“I
håper
hopethey’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmy
kjære
dear!Iwishyouwere
nede
downherewithme!Thereare
ingen
nomiceintheair,I’mredd
afraid,butyoumightcatchen
abat,andthat’sverysom
likeamouse,youknow.Men
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”Og
AndhereAlicebegantofå
getrathersleepy,andwentonsi
sayingtoherself,inadreamysortofmåte
way,“Docatseatbats?Docats
spiser
eatbats?”andsometimes,“Dobats
spiser
eatcats?”for,yousee,asshecouldn’t
svare
answereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputdet
it.Shefeltthatshewasdozing
av
off,andhadjustbeguntodrømme
dreamthatshewaswalkinghånd
handinhandwithDinah,og
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethesannheten
truth:didyouevereat
en
abat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
ned
downshecameuponaheapofsticksog
anddryleaves,andthehøsten
fallwasover.Alicewasnota
bit
bithurt,andshejumpedopp
upontoherfeetinaøyeblikk
moment:shelookedup,butitwasalldarkoverhead;
før
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,og
andtheWhiteRabbitwasfortsatt
stillinsight,hurryingdownit.Det
Therewasnotamomenttobetapt
lost:awaywentAlicelikethewind,
og
andwasjustintimetohøre
hearitsay,asitsnudde
turnedacorner,“Ohmyearsog
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
nær
closebehinditwhenshesnudde
turnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobese
seen:shefoundherselfin
en
along,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyen
arowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Det
Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,men
buttheywerealllocked;og
andwhenAlicehadbeenallden
thewaydownonesideog
anduptheother,tryinghver
everydoor,shewalkedsadlyned
downthemiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertokomme
getoutagain.Suddenlyshe
kom
cameuponalittlethree-leggedtable,alle
allmadeofsolidglass;therewas
ingenting
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,og
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitkan
mightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;men
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
for
toolarge,orthekeywasfor
toosmall,butatanyrateitville
wouldnotopenanyofdem
them.However,onthesecond
gangen
timeround,shecameuponen
alowcurtainshehadnotnoticedfør
before,andbehinditwasen
alittledooraboutfifteenincheshøy
high:shetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,
og
andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Alice
åpnet
openedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoen
asmallpassage,notmuchlargerenn
thanarat-hole:sheknelt
ned
downandlookedalongthepassageintoden
theloveliestgardenyoueversaw.Hvordan
Howshelongedtogetut
outofthatdarkhall,og
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersog
andthosecoolfountains,butshekunne
couldnotevengetherhodet
headthroughthedoorway;“and
selv
evenifmyheadwouldgå
gothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itville
wouldbeofverylittlebruk
usewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,
hvor
howIwishIcouldshutupsom
likeatelescope!IthinkI
kunne
could,ifIonlyknewhvordan
howtobegin.”For,you
ser
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadde
hadhappenedlately,thatAlicehadde
hadbeguntothinkthatsvært
veryfewthingsindeedwerereallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobe
ingen
nouseinwaitingbythelille
littledoor,soshewenttilbake
backtothetable,halfhåp
hopingshemightfindanotherkeyonit,eller
oratanyrateabok
bookofrulesforshuttingfolk
peopleupliketelescopes:this
gangen
timeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnother
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasen
apaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwas
alt
allverywelltosay“Drinkme,”men
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtogjøre
dothatinahurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
sa
said,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’eller
ornot”;forshehad
lest
readseveralnicelittlehistoriesom
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,og
andeatenupbywildbeastsog
andotherunpleasantthings,allfordi
becausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadde
hadtaughtthem:suchas,
at
thatared-hotpokerwillburnyouhvis
ifyouholdittoolenge
long;andthatifyou
skjærer
cutyourfingerverydeeplymed
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;og
andshehadneverforgottenthat,hvis
ifyoudrinkmuchfromen
abottlemarked“poison,”itisnesten
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonereller
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotaste
det
it,andfindingitveryfint
nice,(ithad,infact,en
asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,og
andhotbutteredtoast,)sheveldig
verysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
sa
saidAlice;“Imustbe
lukke
shuttinguplikeatelescope.”Og
Andsoitwasindeed:shewas
nå
nowonlytenincheshigh,og
andherfacebrightenedupatden
thethoughtthatshewasnå
nowtherightsizeforgå
goingthroughthelittledoorintoat
thatlovelygarden.First,however,she
ventet
waitedforafewminutestose
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:shefeltalittlenervous
om
aboutthis;“foritmight
ende
end,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygår
goingoutaltogether,likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
skal
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
prøvde
triedtofancywhattheflameofacandleissom
likeafterthecandleisblownut
out,forshecouldnothuske
remembereverhavingseensuchating
thing.Afterawhile,finding
at
thatnothingmorehappened,shedecidedongå
goingintothegardenatonce;men
but,alasforpoorAlice!da
whenshegottothedøren
door,shefoundshehadforgottenthelille
littlegoldenkey,andwhenshegikk
wentbacktothetableforit,shefant
foundshecouldnotpossiblyreachit:she
kunne
couldseeitquiteplainlygjennom
throughtheglass,andsheprøvde
triedherbesttoclimbopp
uponeofthelegsofthetable,men
butitwastooslippery;og
andwhenshehadtiredherselfut
outwithtrying,thepoorlille
littlethingsatdownandcried.“Come,there’s
ingen
nouseincryinglikethat!”sa
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;“Iadviseyouto
forlate
leaveoffthisminute!”Shegenerallygaveherselfvery
gode
goodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfulgte
followedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringe
bringtearsintohereyes;og
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxheregne
ownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinaspill
gameofcroquetshewasplayingmot
againstherself,forthiscuriousbarnet
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobeto
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
tenkte
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobeto
twopeople!Why,there’shardly
nok
enoughofmelefttogjøre
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
falt
fellonalittleglassboxsom
thatwaslyingunderthetable:she
åpnet
openedit,andfoundiniten
averysmallcake,onsom
whichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’ll
spise
eatit,”saidAlice,“andhvis
ifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ikan
canreachthekey;and
hvis
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ikan
cancreepunderthedoor;soeitherwayI’ll
komme
getintothegarden,andIdon’tcaresom
whichhappens!”Sheatealittlebit,
og
andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichvei
way?Whichway?”,holdingher
hånden
handonthetopofherhodet
headtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,og
andshewasquitesurprisedtofinne
findthatsheremainedthesamme
samesize:tobesure,
dette
thisgenerallyhappenswhenonespiser
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomye
muchintothewayofexpectingingenting
nothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatitseemedganske
quitedullandstupidforlivet
lifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouser
og
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewasso
mye
muchsurprised,thatfortheøyeblikket
momentshequiteforgothowtosnakke
speakgoodEnglish);“nowI’m
åpner
openingoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
da
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobenesten
almostoutofsight,theywerekom
gettingsofaroff).“Oh,my
stakkars
poorlittlefeet,Iwonderwhovil
willputonyourshoesog
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
sikker
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbe
en
agreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfom
aboutyou:youmustmanagethe
beste
bestwayyoucan;—butImå
mustbekindtothem,”tenkte
thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIvil
wanttogo!Letme
se
see:I’llgivethema
nytt
newpairofbootseveryChristmas.”Og
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhvordan
howshewouldmanageit.“They
må
mustgobythecarrier,”shetenkte
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,
sende
sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!Og
Andhowoddthedirectionsvil
willlook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Akkurat
Justthenherheadstruckmot
againsttheroofofthehall:in
faktisk
factshewasnowmoreenn
thanninefeethigh,andsheatoncetok
tookupthelittlegoldenkeyog
andhurriedofftothegardendør
door.PoorAlice!
Itwasas
mye
muchasshecoulddo,lyingned
downononeside,tose
lookthroughintothegardenmed
withoneeye;butto
komme
getthroughwasmorehopelessenn
thanever:shesatdown
og
andbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“a
stor
greatgirllikeyou,”(shekunne
mightwellsaythis),“togooncryingindenne
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
sier
tellyou!”Butshewenton
alle
allthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,til
untiltherewasalargepoolalle
allroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepog
andreachinghalfdownthehall.Etter
Afteratimeshehearden
alittlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,og
andshehastilydriedhereyestose
seewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhiteRabbit
returnerer
returning,splendidlydressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehånden
handandalargefanintheandre
other:hecametrottingalongina
stor
greathurry,mutteringtohimselfashekom
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
hvis
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alicefeltsodesperate
at
thatshewasreadytobe
askhelpofanyone;so,
da
whentheRabbitcamenearhenne
her,shebegan,inalow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”De
TheRabbitstartedviolently,droppedde
thewhitekidglovesandde
thefan,andskurriedawayintode
thedarknessashardashekunne
couldgo.Alicetookupthefan
og
andgloves,and,asthehallwasveldig
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetiden
timeshewentontalking:“Dear,
kjære
dear!Howqueereverythingisto-day!
Og
Andyesterdaythingswentonakkurat
justasusual.Iwonder
om
ifI’vebeenchangedinthenatten
night?Letmethink:
wasI
den
thesamewhenIgotopp
upthismorning?Ialmost
tror
thinkIcanrememberfeelingalittleannerledes
different.ButifI’mnot
den
thesame,thenextquestioner
is,WhointheworldamJeg
I?Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Og
Andshebeganthinkingoverallthebarna
childrensheknewthatwereofthesamme
sameageasherself,tose
seeifshecouldhavebeenendret
changedforanyofthem.“I’m
sikker
sureI’mnotAda,”shesa
said,“forherhairgoesinså
suchlongringlets,andminedoesn’tgår
goinringletsatall;og
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIvet
knowallsortsofthings,og
andshe,oh!sheknows
så
suchaverylittle!Besides,she’s
hun
she,andI’mI,and—ohkjære
dear,howpuzzlingitaller
is!I’lltryifIknow
alle
allthethingsIusedtoknow.La
Letmesee:fourtimes
fem
fiveistwelve,andfourtimesseks
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
aldri
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’s
prøve
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
og
andParisisthecapitalofRome,og
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!Imusthavebeen
forandret
changedforMabel!I’lltry
og
andsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”og
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasom
ifsheweresayinglessons,og
andbegantorepeatit,men
buthervoicesoundedhoarseog
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotkom
comethesameastheypleide
usedtodo:—.“Howdoth
den
thelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,Og
Andpourthewatersofden
theNileOneverygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,
Hvor
Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Og
AndwelcomelittlefishesinMed
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
sikker
surethosearenottherightwords,”sa
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledmed
withtearsagainasshewentpå
on,“ImustbeMabelafteralt
all,andIshallhavetogå
goandliveinthatpokylille
littlehouse,andhavenexttoingen
notoystoplaywith,og
andoh!eversomanylessonsto
lære
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymindabout
det
it;ifI’mMabel,I’llstay
nede
downhere!It’llbenousetheir
legger
puttingtheirheadsdownandsaying‘Comeopp
upagain,dear!’Ishallbare
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Fortell
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,hvis
ifIlikebeingthatperson,I’llkomme
comeup:ifnot,I’llstay
nede
downheretillI’msomebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,
med
withasuddenburstoftears,“Idowishtheyville
wouldputtheirheadsdown!Iamso
veldig
verytiredofbeingallalene
alonehere!”Asshesaid
dette
thisshelookeddownatherhands,og
andwassurprisedtoseethatshehadde
hadputononeoftheRabbit’ssmå
littlewhitekidgloveswhileshewassnakket
talking.“HowcanIhave
gjort
donethat?”shethought.
“I
må
mustbegrowingsmallagain.”Shegotup
og
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,og
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshekunne
couldguess,shewasnowaboutto
twofeethigh,andwasgikk
goingonshrinkingrapidly:she
snart
soonfoundoutthattheårsaken
causeofthiswasthefanshewasholdt
holding,andshedroppedithastily,akkurat
justintimetoavoidshrinkingbort
awayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”