CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
började
beginningtogetverytiredofsitta
sittingbyhersisteronthebank,och
andofhavingnothingtogöra
do:onceortwiceshe
hade
hadpeepedintothebookhersyster
sisterwasreading,butithade
hadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofen
abook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpictureseller
orconversations?”Soshewas
övervägde
consideringinherownmindSå
(aswellasshecould,forden
thehotdaymadeherkänna
feelverysleepyandstupid),om
whetherthepleasureofmakingen
adaisy-chainwouldbeworthden
thetroubleofgettingupoch
andpickingthedaisies,whenplötsligt
suddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithrosa
pinkeyesranclosebyhenne
her.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
inte heller
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytohöra
heartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohkära
dear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshe
tänkte
thoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttoha
havewonderedatthis,butatthetiden
timeitallseemedquitenatural);men
butwhentheRabbitactuallytooken
awatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,och
andlookedatit,andthenskyndade
hurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashedöver
acrosshermindthatshehadaldrig
neverbeforeseenarabbitmed
witheitherawaistcoat-pocket,oren
awatchtotakeoutofit,och
andburningwithcuriosity,shesprang
ranacrossthefieldafterit,och
andfortunatelywasjustintid
timetoseeitpopner
downalargerabbit-holeunderthehäcken
hedge.Inanothermomentdown
gick
wentAliceafterit,neveronceöverväga
consideringhowintheworldshewastokomma
getoutagain.Therabbit-hole
gick
wentstraightonlikeatunnel
tunnelforsomeway,andthendippedplötsligt
suddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehade
hadnotamomenttotänka
thinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefann
foundherselffallingdownamycket
verydeepwell.Eitherthewellwas
mycket
verydeep,orshefellmycket
veryslowly,forshehadgott
plentyoftimeasshegick
wentdowntolookaboutheroch
andtowonderwhatwasgick
goingtohappennext.First,she
försökte
triedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewaskom
comingto,butitwasför
toodarktoseeanything;thenshe
tittade
lookedatthesidesofthewell,och
andnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsoch
andbook-shelves;hereandthereshe
såg
sawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.She
tog
tookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,
men
buttohergreatdisappointmentitwastomt
empty:shedidnotliketo
släppa
dropthejarforfearofdöda
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?“I
undrar
wonderhowmanymilesI’vefallit
fallenbythistime?”she
sa
saidaloud.“Imustbegettingsomewhere
nära
nearthecentreoftheearth.Låt
Letmesee:thatwouldbe
fyra
fourthousandmilesdown,Ithink—”För
(for,yousee,Alicehadlärt
learntseveralthingsofthisslag
sortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,och
andthoughthiswasnotamycket
verygoodopportunityforshowingoffherkunskap
knowledge,astherewasnoonetolyssna
listentoher,stillitwasbra
goodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’som
abouttherightdistance—butthenIundrar
wonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vefått
gotto?”(Alicehadno
aning om
ideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeheller
either,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)Närvarande
Presentlyshebeganagain.“I
undrar
wonderifIshallfallrightigenom
throughtheearth!Howfunnyit’ll
verkar
seemtocomeoutamongdet
thepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsnedåt
downward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
ganska
rathergladtherewasnoonelyssnade
listening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherätt
rightword)“—butIshallmåste
havetoaskthemwhatthenamnet
nameofthecountryis,youvet
know.Please,Ma’am,isthis
Nya
NewZealandorAustralia?”(andshe
försökte
triedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refaller
fallingthroughtheair!Doyou
tror
thinkyoucouldmanageit?)“Andwhatan
okunnig
ignorantlittlegirlshe’llthinkmeforfråga
asking!No,it’llneverdoto
fråga
ask:perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Ner
Down,down,down.Therewas
inget
nothingelsetodo,soAlicesnart
soonbegantalkingagain.“Dinah’ll
sakna
missmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”(Dinahwasthe
katten
cat.)“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerof
mjölk
milkattea-time.Dinahmy
kära
dear!Iwishyouwere
nere
downherewithme!Thereare
inga
nomiceintheair,I’mrädd
afraid,butyoumightcatchen
abat,andthat’sverysom
likeamouse,youknow.Men
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”Och
AndhereAlicebegantogetganska
rathersleepy,andwentonsäga
sayingtoherself,inadreamysortofsätt
way,“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
downshecameuponahög
heapofsticksanddryleaves,och
andthefallwasover.Alicewasnota
bit
bithurt,andshejumpedupp
upontoherfeetinaögonblick
moment:shelookedup,butitwasall
mörkt
darkoverhead;beforeherwasanother
lång
longpassage,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
arowoflampshangingfromthetaket
roof.Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,
men
buttheywerealllocked;och
andwhenAlicehadbeenallden
thewaydownonesideoch
anduptheother,tryingeverydörr
door,shewalkedsadlydownden
themiddle,wonderinghowshewasevertokomma
getoutagain.Suddenlyshe
kom
cameuponalittlethree-leggedbord
table,allmadeofsolidglas
glass;therewasnothingonit
förutom
exceptatinygoldenkey,och
andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitkan
mightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;men
but,alas!eitherthelockswere
för
toolarge,orthekeywasför
toosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotöppna
openanyofthem.However,onthe
andra
secondtimeround,shecameuponen
alowcurtainshehadnotmärkt
noticedbefore,andbehinditwasen
alittledooraboutfifteenincheshög
high:shetriedthelittle
gyllene
goldenkeyinthelock,och
andtohergreatdelightitpassade
fitted!Aliceopenedthedoor
och
andfoundthatitledintoaliten
smallpassage,notmuchlargerän
thanarat-hole:shekneltdown
och
andlookedalongthepassageintoden
theloveliestgardenyoueversett
saw.Howshelongedtoget
ut
outofthatdarkhall,och
andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofljusa
brightflowersandthosecoolfountains,men
butshecouldnotevengetherhuvud
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
veryfewthingsindeedwerereallyomöjligt
impossible.Thereseemedtobe
inte
nouseinwaitingbythelilla
littledoor,soshewenttillbaka
backtothetable,halfhopingshekunna
mightfindanotherkeyonit,eller
oratanyrateabok
bookofrulesforshuttingmänniskor
peopleupliketelescopes:this
gången
timeshefoundalittleflaska
bottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”sade
saidAlice,)androundtheneckoftheflaska
bottlewasapaperlabel,med
withthewords“DRINKME,”vackert
beautifullyprintedonitinstora
largeletters.Itwasall
mycket
verywelltosay“Drinkme,”men
butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtogöra
dothatinahurry.“No,I’ll
titta
lookfirst,”shesaid,“andse
seewhetherit’smarked‘poison’eller
ornot”;forshehad
läst
readseveralnicelittlehistoriesom
aboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,och
andeatenupbywildbeastsoch
andotherunpleasantthings,alleftersom
becausetheywouldnotremembertheenkla
simplerulestheirfriendshadlärt
taughtthem:suchas,that
en
ared-hotpokerwillburnyouom
ifyouholdittoolänge
long;andthatifyou
skär
cutyourfingerverydeeplymed
withaknife,itusuallybleeds;och
andshehadneverforgottenthat,om
ifyoudrinkmuchfromen
abottlemarked“poison,”itisnästan
almostcertaintodisagreewithyou,förr
soonerorlater.However,this
flaska
bottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAlicevågade
venturedtotasteit,andfindingitmycket
verynice,(ithad,infaktiskt
fact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,ananas
pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andvarm
hotbutteredtoast,)sheverysnart
soonfinisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
sa
saidAlice;“Imustbeshuttingup
som
likeatelescope.”Andsoitwas
verkligen
indeed:shewasnowonly
tio
tenincheshigh,andheransikte
facebrightenedupatthethoughtatt
thatshewasnowtherätt
rightsizeforgoingthroughden
thelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.Först
First,however,shewaitedforafewminutestose
seeifshewasgoingtokrympa
shrinkanyfurther:shefelta
lite
littlenervousaboutthis;“forit
kan
mightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygår
goingoutaltogether,likealjus
candle.IwonderwhatI
ska
shouldbelikethen?”Andshe
försökte
triedtofancywhattheflamma
flameofacandleislikeefter
afterthecandleisblownut
out,forshecouldnotminnas
remembereverhavingseensuchathing.Efter
Afterawhile,findingthatinget
nothingmorehappened,shedecidedongå
goingintothegardenatonce;men
but,alasforpoorAlice!när
whenshegottothedörren
door,shefoundshehadglömt
forgottenthelittlegoldenkey,och
andwhenshewentbacktothebordet
tableforit,shefoundshekunde
couldnotpossiblyreachit:she
kunde
couldseeitquiteplainlygenom
throughtheglass,andsheförsökte
triedherbesttoclimbupp
uponeofthelegsofthebordet
table,butitwastooslippery;och
andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithförsöka
trying,thepoorlittlethingsatner
downandcried.“Come,there’s
ingen
nouseincryinglikethat!”sa
saidAlicetoherself,ratherskarpt
sharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerally
gav
gaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughshemycket
veryseldomfollowedit),andibland
sometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastogav
bringtearsintohereyes;och
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxheregna
ownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasspelade
playingagainstherself,forthiscuriousbarn
childwasveryfondoflåtsas
pretendingtobetwopeople.“Butit’s
ingen
nousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“tolåtsas
pretendtobetwopeople!Varför
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttogöra
makeonerespectableperson!”Soonhereye
föll
fellonalittleglassboxsom
thatwaslyingunderthebordet
table:sheopenedit,and
fann
foundinitaveryliten
smallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werevackert
beautifullymarkedincurrants.“Well,I’ll
äta
eatit,”saidAlice,“andom
ifitmakesmegrowstörre
larger,Icanreachthekey;och
andifitmakesmegrowmindre
smaller,Icancreepunderthedörren
door;soeitherwayI’ll
kommer
getintothegarden,andIdon’tcaresom
whichhappens!”Sheatealittlebit,
och
andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichväg
way?Whichway?”,holdingher
hand
handonthetopofherhuvud
headtofeelwhichwayitwasväxte
growing,andshewasquitesurprisedtofinna
findthatsheremainedthesamma
samesize:tobesure,
detta
thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneäter
eatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothesättet
wayofexpectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohända
happen,thatitseemedquitedulloch
andstupidforlifetogooninthevanliga
commonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouser
och
andcuriouser!”criedAlice(shewasso
mycket
muchsurprised,thatforthetillfället
momentshequiteforgothowtotalar
speakgoodEnglish);“nowI’m
öppnar
openingoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!Good-bye,feet!”
(for
när
whenshelookeddownatherfötter
feet,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
planningtoherselfhowshewouldhantera
manageit.“Theymustgobythecarrier,”she
tänkte
thought;“andhowfunnyit’ll
verka
seem,sendingpresentstoone’segna
ownfeet!Andhowoddthedirections
kommer
willlook!Ohdear,what
nonsens
nonsenseI’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.“Yououghttobe
skämmas
ashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“astor
greatgirllikeyou,”(shekunna
mightwellsaythis),“togoongråta
cryinginthisway!Stopthismoment,I
säger
tellyou!”Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,
tills
untiltherewasalargepool
poolallroundher,aboutfyra
fourinchesdeepandreachinghälften
halfdownthehall.After
en
atimesheheardaliten
littlepatteringoffeetinthedistance,och
andshehastilydriedhereyestose
seewhatwascoming.Itwasthe
Vita
WhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,med
withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehanden
handandalargefanintheandra
other:hecametrottingalongina
stor
greathurry,mutteringtohimselfashekom
came,“Oh!theDuchess,the
Hertiginnan
Duchess!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.Alicetookupthe
fläkt
fanandgloves,and,asthehallwasmycket
veryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetiden
timeshewentontalking:“Dear,dear!
Hur
Howqueereverythingisto-day!Och
Andyesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.I
undrar
wonderifI’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,andfourtimessju
sevenis—ohdear!Ishall
aldrig
nevergettotwentyatthatrate!Emellertid
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’s
försöka
tryGeography.LondonisthecapitalofParis,
och
andParisisthecapitalofRome,och
andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’msäker
certain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’ll
försöka
tryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”och
andshecrossedherhandsonherknät
lapasifsheweresayinglessons,och
andbegantorepeatit,men
buthervoicesoundedhoarseoch
andstrange,andthewordsdidnotkom
comethesameastheybrukade
usedtodo:—.“Howdoth
den
thelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningsvans
tail,Andpourthewatersofden
theNileOneverygoldenskala
scale!“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!Iamsovery
trött
tiredofbeingallalonehere!”Asshe
sa
saidthisshelookeddownatherhands,och
andwassurprisedtoseethatshehade
hadputononeoftheRabbit’ssmå
littlewhitekidgloveswhileshewaspratade
talking.“HowcanIhave
gjort
donethat?”shethought.
“I
måste
mustbegrowingsmallagain.”Shegotup
och
andwenttothetabletomäta
measureherselfbyit,andfann
foundthat,asnearlyasshekunde
couldguess,shewasnowabouttvå
twofeethigh,andwasgick
goingonshrinkingrapidly:she
snart
soonfoundoutthatthecauseofdetta
thiswasthefanshewashöll
holding,andshedroppedithastily,precis
justintimetoavoidkrympa
shrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwas
en
anarrowescape!”