CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningto
hacer
getverytiredofsittingbyherhermana
sisteronthebank,andoftener
havingnothingtodo:once
o
ortwiceshehadpeepedintothelibro
bookhersisterwasreading,pero
butithadnopictureso
orconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”pensó
thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherown
mente
mind(aswellasshepodía
could,forthehotdaymadehersentir
feelverysleepyandstupid),whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworththemolestia
troubleofgettingupandrecoger
pickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyaBlanco
WhiteRabbitwithpinkeyescorrió
ranclosebyher.Therewas
nada
nothingsoveryremarkableineso
that;nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuch
fuera
outofthewaytooír
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughtto
haber
havewonderedatthis,butatel
thetimeitallseemedbastante
quitenatural);butwhentheRabbit
en realidad
actuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,y
andlookedatit,andthenapresuró
hurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshermindthatshehabía
hadneverbeforeseenarabbitcon
witheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orun
awatchtotakeoutofit,y
andburningwithcuriosity,shecorrió
ranacrossthefieldafterit,y
andfortunatelywasjustintiempo
timetoseeitpopdownun
alargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.In
otro
anothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,nunca
neveronceconsideringhowinel
theworldshewastogetsalir
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraighton
como
likeatunnelforsomecamino
way,andthendippedsuddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicetuvo
hadnotamomenttopensar
thinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforesheencontró
foundherselffallingdownamuy
verydeepwell.Eitherthe
bien
wellwasverydeep,orshecayó
fellveryslowly,forshetenía
hadplentyoftimeassheiba
wentdowntolookabouthery
andtowonderwhatwasiba
goingtohappennext.First,she
trató
triedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,pero
butitwastoodarktover
seeanything;thenshelookedat
los
thesidesofthewell,y
andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsy
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
veía
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.Shetookdownajarfromoneof
los
theshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
pero
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnot
gustaba
liketodropthejarforfearofmatar
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintouno
oneofthecupboardsasshefellmás allá
pastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuch
una
afallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Howbravethey’ll
todos
allthinkmeathome!Por qué
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIcayera
felloffthetopofla
thehouse!”(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Abajo
Down,down,down.Wouldthe
caída
fallnevercometoanfin
end?“IwonderhowmanymilesI’ve
caído
fallenbythistime?”she
dijo
saidaloud.“Imustbe
llegando
gettingsomewherenearthecentreofla
theearth.Letmesee:
eso
thatwouldbefourthousandmilesabajo
down,Ithink—”(for,you
ver
see,Alicehadlearntseveralthingsofthistipo
sortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,y
andthoughthiswasnotamuy
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasno
noonetolistentoher,todavía
stillitwasgoodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeo
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alice
tenía
hadnoideawhatLatitudewas,o
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebegan
de nuevo
again.“IwonderifIshall
caer
fallrightthroughtheearth!How
gracioso
funnyit’llseemtocomesalir
outamongthepeoplethatcamina
walkwiththeirheadsdownward!Las
TheAntipathies,Ithink—”(shewasrathergladtherewas
no
noonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsonaba
soundatalltherightpalabra
word)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenombre
nameofthecountryis,yousabes
know.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealand
o
orAustralia?”(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’re
caes
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
crees
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatanignorantlittle
niña
girlshe’llthinkmeforpreguntar
asking!No,it’llneverdoto
preguntar
ask:perhapsIshallseeit
escrito
writtenupsomewhere.”Down,down,
abajo
down.Therewasnothingelseto
hacer
do,soAlicesoonbeganhablar
talkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmeverymuch
esta noche
to-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwas
el
thecat.)“Ihopethey’ll
recuerden
rememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
I
ojalá
wishyouweredownherewithme!Hay
Therearenomiceinel
theair,I’mafraid,butyoupodrías
mightcatchabat,andthat’smuy
verylikeamouse,yousabes
know.Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
Y
AndhereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,y
andwentonsayingtoherself,inuna
adreamysortofway,“Docatscomen
eatbats?Docatseatbats?”
y
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”for,you
ves
see,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichmanera
waysheputit.She
sintió
feltthatshewasdozingde
off,andhadjustbeguntosoñar
dreamthatshewaswalkingmano
handinhandwithDinah,y
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmela
thetruth:didyouever
comido
eatabat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
downshecameupon
un
aheapofsticksanddryleaves,y
andthefallwasover.Alicewasnot
un
abithurt,andshejumpedupontoherfeetinun
amoment:shelookedup,
pero
butitwasalldarkoverhead;beforeherwas
otro
anotherlongpassage,andtheBlanco
WhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.Therewasnot
un
amomenttobelost:away
fue
wentAlicelikethewind,y
andwasjustintimetohearitdecir
say,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsy
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
cerca
closebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,pero
buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeveía
seen:shefoundherselfina
largo
long,lowhall,whichwasiluminado
litupbyarowoflampscolgando
hangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoorsallround
el
thehall,buttheywerealllocked;y
andwhenAlicehadbeenallthecamino
waydownonesideanduptheotro
other,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthemiddle,wonderingcómo
howshewasevertogetsalir
outagain.Suddenlyshecameupon
una
alittlethree-leggedtable,allmadeofsolidglass;therewas
nada
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,y
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitpodría
mightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;pero
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
demasiado
toolarge,orthekeywasdemasiado
toosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotabriría
openanyofthem.However,on
la
thesecondtimeround,shecameuponuna
alowcurtainshehadnotnoticedantes
before,andbehinditwasuna
alittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:she
probó
triedthelittlegoldenkeyinla
thelock,andtohergran
greatdelightitfitted!Alice
abrió
openedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoun
asmallpassage,notmuchlargerde
thanarat-hole:shekneltdown
y
andlookedalongthepassageintoel
theloveliestgardenyouevervisto
saw.Howshelongedto
conseguir
getoutofthatdarkhall,y
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersy
andthosecoolfountains,butshepodía
couldnotevengethercabeza
headthroughthedoorway;“andevenifmy
cabeza
headwouldgothrough,”thoughtpobre
poorAlice,“itwouldbeofmuy
verylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,
cómo
howIwishIcouldshutupcomo
likeatelescope!IthinkI
podría
could,ifIonlyknewcómo
howtobegin.”For,you
veis
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadocurrido
happenedlately,thatAlicehadbeguntopensar
thinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwererealmente
reallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobeno
uso
useinwaitingbythelittlepuerta
door,soshewentbacktola
thetable,halfhopingshepodría
mightfindanotherkeyonit,o
oratanyratealibro
bookofrulesforshuttinggente
peopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshe
encontró
foundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotaquí
herebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasuna
apaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwas
toda
allverywelltosay“Drinkme,”pero
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotiba
goingtodothatinaprisa
hurry.“No,I’lllookfirst,”she
dijo
said,“andseewhetherit’smarked‘poison’o
ornot”;forshehad
leído
readseveralnicelittlehistoriessobre
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,y
andeatenupbywildbeastsy
andotherunpleasantthings,allporque
becausetheywouldnotrememberlas
thesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtles
them:suchas,thatared-hotpokerwillburnyou
si
ifyouholdittootiempo
long;andthatifyou
cortas
cutyourfingerverydeeplycon
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;y
andshehadneverforgottenthat,si
ifyoudrinkmuchfromuna
abottlemarked“poison,”itiscasi
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonero
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotasteit,
y
andfindingitverynice,(ithad,inhecho
fact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,y
andhotbutteredtoast,)shemuy
verysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
dijo
saidAlice;“Imustbe
cerrando
shuttinguplikeatelescope.”Y
Andsoitwasindeed:shewas
ahora
nowonlytenincheshigh,y
andherfacebrightenedupatla
thethoughtthatshewasahora
nowtherightsizeforgoingthroughla
thelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.Primero
First,however,shewaitedforafewminutestover
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:she
sentía
feltalittlenervousaboutesto
this;“foritmightend,youknow,”
dijo
saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,como
likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
debería
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
trató
triedtofancywhattheflameofuna
acandleislikeafterla
thecandleisblownout,forshepodía
couldnotremembereverhavingvisto
seensuchathing.After
un
awhile,findingthatnothingmás
morehappened,shedecidedonver
goingintothegardenatinmediato
once;but,alasforpoorAlice!
cuando
whenshegottothepuerta
door,shefoundshehadolvidado
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,y
andwhenshewentbacktola
thetableforit,shefoundshepodía
couldnotpossiblyreachit:she
podía
couldseeitquiteplainlythroughtheglass,y
andshetriedherbesttoclimbupuna
oneofthelegsofthetable,pero
butitwastooslippery;y
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,la
thepoorlittlethingsatdowny
andcried.“Come,there’snouseincryinglikethat!”
dijo
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerally
daba
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughshemuy
veryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastotraer
bringtearsintohereyes;y
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinajuego
gameofcroquetshewasplayingcontra
againstherself,forthiscuriousniña
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobedos
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
pensó
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobedos
twopeople!Why,there’shardly
suficiente
enoughofmelefttohacer
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
cayó
fellonalittleglassboxthatwaslyingdebajo
underthetable:sheopenedit,
y
andfoundinitamuy
verysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’lleatit,”
dijo
saidAlice,“andifithace
makesmegrowlarger,Ipuedo
canreachthekey;and
si
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ipuedo
cancreepunderthedoor;soeither
manera
wayI’llgetintothegarden,y
andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”She
comió
atealittlebit,anddijo
saidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichcamino
way?Whichway?”,holdingher
mano
handonthetopofhercabeza
headtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,y
andshewasquitesurprisedtoencontrar
findthatsheremainedthemismo
samesize:tobesure,
esto
thisgenerallyhappenswhenonecome
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsotanto
muchintothewayofexpectingnada
nothingbutout-of-the-waythingstosuceder
happen,thatitseemedquitedully
andstupidforlifetofuera
gooninthecommoncamino
way.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouser
y
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,thatfor
el
themomentshequiteforgotcómo
howtospeakgoodEnglish);“nowI’m
abriendo
openingoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
cuando
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobecasi
almostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittlefeet,Iwonder
quién
whowillputonyourshoesy
andstockingsforyounow,dears?I’m
seguro
sureIshan’tbeable!Ishallbeagreatdeal
demasiado
toofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:youmustmanagethe
mejor
bestwayyoucan;—butImustbeamable
kindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“ortal vez
perhapstheywon’twalkthewayIquiero
wanttogo!Letme
ver
see:I’llgivethemanewpairofboots
cada
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
planeando
planningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.“Theymust
ir
gobythecarrier,”shepensó
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,
enviar
sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!Y
Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justo
Justthenherheadstruckcontra
againsttheroofofthehall:in
hecho
factshewasnowmorethanninefeethigh,y
andsheatoncetookupla
thelittlegoldenkeyandapresuró
hurriedofftothegardenpuerta
door.PoorAlice!
Itwasas
tanto
muchasshecoulddo,lyingdownonun
oneside,tolookthroughintoel
thegardenwithoneeye;pero
buttogetthroughwasmás
morehopelessthanever:she
sentó
satdownandbegantocryde nuevo
again.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“a
gran
greatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwelldecir
saythis),“togooncryinginesta
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
digo
tellyou!”Butshewenton
todos
allthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,hasta que
untiltherewasalargepooltodos
allroundher,aboutfourinchesdeepy
andreachinghalfdownthehall.After
un
atimesheheardapequeño
littlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,y
andshehastilydriedhereyestover
seewhatwascoming.Itwasthe
Blanco
WhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,con
withapairofwhitekidglovesinonemano
handandalargefanintheother:hecametrottingalongina
gran
greathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!la
theDuchess,theDuchess!Oh!
won’tshebesavage
si
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
sintió
feltsodesperatethatshewasreadytopedir
askhelpofanyone;so,
cuando
whentheRabbitcamenearher,shebegan,inuna
alow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbit
comenzó
startedviolently,droppedthewhiteniño
kidglovesandthefan,y
andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashepudo
couldgo.Alicetookupthefan
y
andgloves,and,asthehallwasmuy
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselftodo
allthetimeshewentonhablando
talking:“Dear,dear!
Howqueer
todo
everythingisto-day!Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.
Iwonder
si
ifI’vebeenchangedinla
thenight?Letmethink:
wasI
el
thesamewhenIgotupesta
thismorning?IalmostthinkIcan
recuerdo
rememberfeelingalittledifferent.Pero
ButifI’mnotthemismo
same,thenextquestionis,Quién
WhointheworldamYo
I?Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Y
Andshebeganthinkingovertodos
allthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesameageasherself,tover
seeifshecouldhavebeencambiado
changedforanyofthem.“I’msureI’mnotAda,”she
dijo
said,“forherhairgoesintan
suchlongringlets,andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;y
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIsé
knowallsortsofthings,y
andshe,oh!sheknows
tan
suchaverylittle!Besides,she’s
ella
she,andI’mI,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingittodo
allis!I’lltryifI
saber
knowallthethingsIusedtosaber
know.Letmesee:
fourtimes
cinco
fiveistwelve,andfourtimesseis
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
nunca
nevergettotwentyatese
thatrate!However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’s
intentemos
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
y
andParisisthecapitalofRome,y
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!I
debo
musthavebeenchangedforMabel!I’ll
intentaré
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”y
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapassi
ifsheweresayinglessons,y
andbegantorepeatit,pero
buthervoicesoundedhoarsey
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“Howdoththe
pequeño
littlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,Y
AndpourthewatersoftheNileOncada
everygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,
Y
AndwelcomelittlefishesinCon
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
seguro
surethosearenottherightwords,”dijo
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsde nuevo
againasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelaftertodo
all,andIshallhavetoir
goandliveinthatpokylittlecasa
house,andhavenexttonotoystojugar
playwith,andoh!eversomanylessonsto
aprender
learn!No,I’vemadeupmymindaboutit;
si
ifI’mMabel,I’llstayabajo
downhere!It’llbenousetheirputtingtheirheadsdown
y
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallsólo
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Tellmethat
primero
first,andthen,ifIgusta
likebeingthatperson,I’llcomeup:si
ifnot,I’llstaydownaquí
heretillI’msomebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,
con
withasuddenburstoftears,“Idogustaría
wishtheywouldputtheirheadsabajo
down!Iamsoverytiredofbeingallalonehere!”
Asshe
decía
saidthisshelookeddownatherhands,y
andwassurprisedtoseethatshehabía
hadputononeoflos
theRabbit’slittlewhitekidglovesmientras
whileshewastalking.“How
podido
canIhavedonethat?”she
pensó
thought.“Imustbegrowing
pequeño
smallagain.”Shegotup
y
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,y
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshepodía
couldguess,shewasnowaboutdos
twofeethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:she
pronto
soonfoundoutthatthecausa
causeofthiswasthefanshewasholding,y
andshedroppedithastily,justo
justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
una
anarrowescape!”