CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewasbeginningtoget
mycket
verytiredofsittingbyhersyster
sisteronthebank,andofha
havingnothingtodo:once
eller
ortwiceshehadpeepedintotheboken
bookhersisterwasreading,men
butithadnopictureseller
orconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofen
abook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpictureseller
orconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinher
eget
ownmind(aswellasshecould,forden
thehotdaymadeherkänna
feelverysleepyandstupid),whetherden
thepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbeworthden
thetroubleofgettingupoch
andpickingthedaisies,whensuddenlyen
aWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyessprang
ranclosebyher.Therewas
inget
nothingsoveryremarkableinthat;nordidAlice
tyckte
thinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytohöra
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohkära
dear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
tänkte
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttoha
havewonderedatthis,butatthetiden
timeitallseemedquitenatural);men
butwhentheRabbitactuallytooken
awatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,och
andlookedatit,andthenskyndade
hurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedacrosshersinne
mindthatshehadneverbeforeseenen
arabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,eller
orawatchtotakeut
outofit,andburningmed
withcuriosity,sheranacrossthefieldefter
afterit,andfortunatelywasprecis
justintimetoseeitpopner
downalargerabbit-holeunderthehedge.Inanother
ögonblick
momentdownwentAliceafterit,aldrig
neveronceconsideringhowinthevärlden
worldshewastogetut
outagain.Therabbit-holewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsome
sätt
way,andthendippedsuddenlyner
down,sosuddenlythatAlicehade
hadnotamomenttotänka
thinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefann
foundherselffallingdownamycket
verydeepwell.Eitherthewellwas
mycket
verydeep,orshefellmycket
veryslowly,forshehadplentyoftid
timeasshewentdowntose
lookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgick
goingtohappennext.First,she
försökte
triedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewaskom
comingto,butitwasför
toodarktoseeanything;thenshe
tittade
lookedatthesidesofthewell,och
andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsoch
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
såg
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.She
tog
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
men
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwasempty:shedidnot
gillade
liketodropthejarforfearofdöda
killingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtosätta
putitintooneofthecupboardsassheföll
fellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“after
ett sådant
suchafallasthis,Ishalltänka
thinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!Hur
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathemma
home!Why,Iwouldn’tsay
något
anythingaboutit,evenifIföll
felloffthetopofthehouse!”(Whichwas
mycket
verylikelytrue.)Down,down,
ner
down.Wouldthefallnever
komma
cometoanend?“Iwonder
hur
howmanymilesI’vefallenbyhär
thistime?”shesaidaloud.
“I
måste
mustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearth.Låt
Letmesee:thatwouldbe
fyra
fourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”För
(for,yousee,Alicehadlärt
learntseveralthingsofthisslag
sortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,och
andthoughthiswasnotamycket
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasinte
noonetolistentoher,fortfarande
stillitwasgoodpracticetosäga
sayitover)“—yes,that’som
abouttherightdistance—butthenIwonderwhatLatitudeeller
orLongitudeI’vegotto?”(Alice
hade
hadnoideawhatLatitudewas,eller
orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Presentlyshebegan
igen
again.“IwonderifIshall
falla
fallrightthroughtheearth!Hur
Howfunnyit’llseemtokomma
comeoutamongthepeoplesom
thatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewasrathergladtherewas
inte
noonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherätt
rightword)“—butIshallmåste
havetoaskthemwhatthenamnet
nameofthecountryis,youvet
know.Please,Ma’am,isthis
Nya
NewZealandorAustralia?”(andshe
försökte
triedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refaller
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
tror
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatanignorant
liten
littlegirlshe’llthinkmeforfråga
asking!No,it’llneverdoto
fråga
ask:perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Ner
Down,down,down.Therewas
inget
nothingelsetodo,soAlicesnart
soonbegantalkingagain.“Dinah’ll
sakna
missmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwasthecat.)
“I
hoppas
hopethey’llrememberhersaucerofmilkattea-time.Dinahmy
kära
dear!Iwishyouwere
nere
downherewithme!Thereare
inga
nomiceintheair,I’mrädd
afraid,butyoumightcatchen
abat,andthat’sverysom
likeamouse,youknow.Men
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”Och
AndhereAlicebegantogetrathersleepy,och
andwentonsayingtoherself,inett
adreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docats
äter
eatbats?”andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
för
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchroll
matterwhichwaysheputdet
it.Shefeltthatshewasdozing
av
off,andhadjustbeguntodrömma
dreamthatshewaswalkinghand
handinhandwithDinah,och
andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,berätta
tellmethetruth:didyouever
ätit
eatabat?”whensuddenly,thump!
thump!
ner
downshecameuponaheapofsticksoch
anddryleaves,andthehösten
fallwasover.Alicewasnota
bit
bithurt,andshejumpedupp
upontoherfeetinaögonblick
moment:shelookedup,butitwasalldarkoverhead;
innan
beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,och
andtheWhiteRabbitwasfortfarande
stillinsight,hurryingdownit.Det
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:bort
awaywentAlicelikethewind,och
andwasjustintimetohöra
hearitsay,asitvände
turnedacorner,“Ohmyearsoch
andwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”Shewas
nära
closebehinditwhenshevände
turnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasinte
nolongertobeseen:shefoundherselfin
en
along,lowhall,whichwaslitupbyen
arowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoors
alla
allroundthehall,buttheywerealla
alllocked;andwhenAlice
hade
hadbeenallthewayner
downonesideandupden
theother,tryingeverydoor,shegick
walkedsadlydownthemiddle,wonderinghur
howshewasevertokomma
getoutagain.Suddenlyshe
kom
cameuponalittlethree-leggedtable,allt
allmadeofsolidglass;therewas
ingenting
nothingonitexceptatinygoldenkey,och
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitkan
mightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;men
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
för
toolarge,orthekeywasför
toosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotöppna
openanyofthem.However,onthe
andra
secondtimeround,shecameuponen
alowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbefore,och
andbehinditwasaliten
littledooraboutfifteenincheshög
high:shetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,
och
andtohergreatdelightitfitted!Alice
öppnade
openedthedoorandfoundatt
thatitledintoaliten
smallpassage,notmuchlargerän
thanarat-hole:shekneltdown
och
andlookedalongthepassageintoden
theloveliestgardenyoueversett
saw.Howshelongedtoget
ut
outofthatdarkhall,och
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersoch
andthosecoolfountains,butshekunde
couldnotevengetherhuvud
headthroughthedoorway;“and
även
evenifmyheadwouldgå
gothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofmycket
verylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.Oh,howI
önskar
wishIcouldshutupsom
likeatelescope!IthinkI
kunna
could,ifIonlyknewhur
howtobegin.”For,you
ser
see,somanyout-of-the-waythingshade
hadhappenedlately,thatAlicehade
hadbeguntothinkthatmycket
veryfewthingsindeedwerereallyimpossible.Thereseemedtobe
inte
nouseinwaitingbythelilla
littledoor,soshewenttillbaka
backtothetable,halfhopingshekunna
mightfindanotherkeyonit,eller
oratanyrateabok
bookofrulesforshuttingmänniskor
peopleupliketelescopes:this
gången
timeshefoundalittlebottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”sade
saidAlice,)androundtheneckofthebottlewasen
apaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinlargeletters.Itwas
allt
allverywelltosay“Drinkme,”men
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtogöra
dothatinahurry.“No,I’ll
titta
lookfirst,”shesaid,“andse
seewhetherit’smarked‘poison’eller
ornot”;forshehad
läst
readseveralnicelittlehistoriesom
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,och
andeatenupbywildbeastsoch
andotherunpleasantthings,alleftersom
becausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshade
hadtaughtthem:suchas,that
en
ared-hotpokerwillburnyouom
ifyouholdittoolänge
long;andthatifyou
skär
cutyourfingerverydeeplymed
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;och
andshehadneverforgottenthat,om
ifyoudrinkmuchfromen
abottlemarked“poison,”itisnästan
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonereller
orlater.However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtotaste
den
it,andfindingitverytrevlig
nice,(ithad,infact,en
asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,och
andhotbutteredtoast,)shemycket
verysoonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
sa
saidAlice;“Imustbeshuttingup
som
likeatelescope.”Andsoitwasindeed:
shewas
nu
nowonlytenincheshigh,och
andherfacebrightenedupatden
thethoughtthatshewasnu
nowtherightsizeforgå
goingthroughthelittledoorintoatt
thatlovelygarden.First,however,she
väntade
waitedforafewminutestose
seeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyfurther:she
kände
feltalittlenervousabouthär
this;“foritmightend,youknow,”
sa
saidAlicetoherself,“inmygår
goingoutaltogether,likeacandle.IwonderwhatI
ska
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
försökte
triedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeefter
afterthecandleisblownut
out,forshecouldnotminnas
remembereverhavingseensuchathing.Efter
Afterawhile,findingthatinget
nothingmorehappened,shedecidedongå
goingintothegardenatonce;men
but,alasforpoorAlice!när
whenshegottothedörren
door,shefoundshehadglömt
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,och
andwhenshewentbacktothetableforit,shefoundshekunde
couldnotpossiblyreachit:she
kunde
couldseeitquiteplainlygenom
throughtheglass,andsheförsökte
triedherbesttoclimbupp
uponeofthelegsofthetable,men
butitwastooslippery;och
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithförsöka
trying,thepoorlittlethingsatner
downandcried.“Come,there’s
ingen
nouseincryinglikethat!”sa
saidAlicetoherself,rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerally
gav
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughshemycket
veryseldomfollowedit),andibland
sometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastogav
bringtearsintohereyes;och
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxheregna
ownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasspelade
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriousbarn
childwasveryfondofpretendingtobetvå
twopeople.“Butit’snousenow,”
tänkte
thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetvå
twopeople!Why,there’shardly
tillräckligt
enoughofmelefttogöra
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
föll
fellonalittleglassboxsom
thatwaslyingunderthetable:she
öppnade
openedit,andfoundiniten
averysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’ll
äta
eatit,”saidAlice,“andom
ifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ikan
canreachthekey;and
om
ifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Ikan
cancreepunderthedoor;soeitherwayI’ll
kommer
getintothegarden,andIdon’tcaresom
whichhappens!”Sheatealittlebit,
och
andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichväg
way?Whichway?”,holdingher
hand
handonthetopofherhuvud
headtofeelwhichwayitwasgrowing,och
andshewasquitesurprisedtofinna
findthatsheremainedthesamma
samesize:tobesure,
detta
thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneäter
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothesättet
wayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohända
happen,thatitseemedquitedulloch
andstupidforlifetogooninthecommonsättet
way.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouser
och
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewasso
mycket
muchsurprised,thatforthetillfället
momentshequiteforgothowtotalar
speakgoodEnglish);“nowI’m
öppnar
openingoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
när
whenshelookeddownatherfeet,theyseemedtobenästan
almostoutofsight,theywerekomma
gettingsofaroff).“Oh,my
stackars
poorlittlefeet,Iwonderwhowillsätta
putonyourshoesandstockingsforyounu
now,dears?I’msureIshan’tbe
kan
able!Ishallbeagreatdeal
för
toofarofftotroublemyselfom
aboutyou:youmustmanagethebest
väg
wayyoucan;—butImustbesnäll
kindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orkanske
perhapstheywon’twalktheväg
wayIwanttogo!Låt
Letmesee:I’llgivethem
ett
anewpairofbootsvarje
everyChristmas.”Andshewenton
planera
planningtoherselfhowshewouldmanagedet
it.“Theymustgobythecarrier,”she
tänkte
thought;“andhowfunnyit’llseem,
skicka
sendingpresentstoone’sownfeet!Och
Andhowoddthedirectionskommer
willlook!Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenher
huvud
headstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:in
faktum
factshewasnowmoreän
thanninefeethigh,andsheatoncetog
tookupthelittlegoldenkeyoch
andhurriedofftothegardendoor.Stackars
PoorAlice!Itwasas
mycket
muchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononesidan
side,tolookthroughintothegardenmed
withoneeye;butto
komma
getthroughwasmorehopelessän
thanever:shesatdown
och
andbegantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“a
stor
greatgirllikeyou,”(shekunna
mightwellsaythis),“togooncryinginhär
thisway!Stopthismoment,I
säger
tellyou!”Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,
tills
untiltherewasalargepoolallroundhenne
her,aboutfourinchesdeepoch
andreachinghalfdownthehall.Efter
Afteratimeshehearden
alittlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,och
andshehastilydriedhereyestose
seewhatwascoming.Itwasthe
Vita
WhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,med
withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehanden
handandalargefanintheandra
other:hecametrottingalongina
stor
greathurry,mutteringtohimselfashekom
came,“Oh!theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavage
om
ifI’vekeptherwaiting!”Alice
kände
feltsodesperatethatshewasredo
readytoaskhelpofnågon
anyone;so,whentheRabbit
kom
camenearher,shebegan,inen
alow,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”De
TheRabbitstartedviolently,droppedde
thewhitekidglovesandde
thefan,andskurriedawayintode
thedarknessashardashekunde
couldgo.Alicetookupthefan
och
andgloves,and,asthehallwasmycket
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetiden
timeshewentontalking:“Dear,dear!
Hur
Howqueereverythingisto-day!Och
Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.Iwonder
om
ifI’vebeenchangedinthenatten
night?Letmethink:
wasIthe
densamma
samewhenIgotupthismorse
morning?IalmostthinkI
kände
canrememberfeelingalittleannorlunda
different.ButifI’mnotthe
densamma
same,thenextquestionis,Vem
WhointheworldamJag
I?Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Och
Andshebeganthinkingoverallde
thechildrensheknewthatwereofde
thesameageasherself,tose
seeifshecouldhavebeenchangedforanyofdem
them.“I’msureI’mnotAda,”she
sa
said,“forherhairgoesinsuchlongringlets,och
andminedoesn’tgoinringletsatall;och
andI’msureIcan’tbeMabel,forIvet
knowallsortsofthings,och
andshe,oh!sheknowssuchavery
lite
little!Besides,she’sshe,andI’m
Jag
I,and—ohdear,howpuzzlingitallär
is!I’lltryifIknow
alla
allthethingsIusedtoknow.Låt
Letmesee:fourtimes
fem
fiveistwelve,andfourtimessex
sixisthirteen,andfourtimessevenis—ohdear!Ishall
aldrig
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:
let’s
försöka
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
och
andParisisthecapitalofRome,och
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’mcertain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’ll
försöka
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”och
andshecrossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,och
andbegantorepeatit,men
buthervoicesoundedhoarseoch
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotkom
comethesameastheybrukade
usedtodo:—.“Howdoth
den
thelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,Och
Andpourthewatersofden
theNileOneverygoldenscale!“Howcheerfullyheseemstogrin,
Hur
Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Och
AndwelcomelittlefishesinMed
Withgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’m
säker
surethosearenottherightwords,”sa
saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledmed
withtearsagainasshegå
wenton,“ImustbeMabelafterallt
all,andIshallhavetogå
goandliveinthatpokylilla
littlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoleka
playwith,andoh!everso
många
manylessonstolearn!No,I’vemadeupmymindabout
det
it;ifI’mMabel,I’ll
stannar
staydownhere!It’llbe
ingen
nousetheirputtingtheirheadsdownoch
andsaying‘Comeupagain,dear!’Ishallbara
onlylookupandsay‘WhoamIthen?Säg
Tellmethatfirst,andthen,om
ifIlikebeingthatperson,I’llkommer
comeup:ifnot,I’ll
stannar
staydownheretillI’mnågon
somebodyelse’—but,ohdear!”criedAlice,
med
withasuddenburstoftears,“Idoönskar
wishtheywouldputtheirheadsner
down!Iamsoverytiredofbeingall
ensam
alonehere!”Asshesaid
detta
thisshelookeddownatherhands,och
andwassurprisedtoseethatshehade
hadputononeoftheRabbit’ssmå
littlewhitekidgloveswhileshewaspratade
talking.“HowcanIhave
gjort
donethat?”shethought.
“I
måste
mustbegrowingsmallagain.”Shegotup
och
andwenttothetabletomeasureherselfbyit,och
andfoundthat,asnearlyasshekunde
couldguess,shewasnowabouttvå
twofeethigh,andwasgick
goingonshrinkingrapidly:she
snart
soonfoundoutthatthecauseofdetta
thiswasthefanshewashöll
holding,andshedroppedithastily,precis
justintimetoavoidshrinkingbort
awayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”