CHAPTERI.DowntheRabbit-Hole
Alicewas
började
beginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisteronthebank,andofhavingnothingtodo:onceor
två gånger
twiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreading,butithadnopicturesorconversationsinit,“andwhatistheuseofabook,”thoughtAlice“withoutpicturesorconversations?”Soshewasconsideringinherownmind(aswellasshecould,forthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupid),
om
whetherthepleasureofmakingadaisy-chainwouldbevärt
worththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisies,whenplötsligt
suddenlyaWhiteRabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyher.Therewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthat;
inte heller
nordidAlicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartheRabbitsaytoitself,“Ohdear!Ohdear!
Ishallbelate!”
(whenshethoughtitoverafterwards,itoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohave
undrat
wonderedatthis,butatthetimeitallverkade
seemedquitenatural);butwhentheRabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoat-pocket,andlookedatit,andthenhurriedon,Alicestartedtoherfeet,foritflashed
över
acrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoat-pocket,orawatchtotakeoutofit,andburningwithcuriosity,sheranöver
acrossthefieldafterit,andfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdownastor
largerabbit-holeunderthehedge.InanothermomentdownwentAliceafterit,neveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagain.
Therabbit-holewent
rakt
straightonlikeatunnelforsomeway,andthendippedplötsligt
suddenlydown,sosuddenlythatAlicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaverydjup
deepwell.Eitherthewellwasvery
djup
deep,orshefellveryslowly,forshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtoundra
wonderwhatwasgoingtohappennext.First,shetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingto,butitwastoo
mörkt
darktoseeanything;thenshelookedatthesidesofthewell,and
märkte
noticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbook-shelves;hereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegs.
Shetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepassed;
itwaslabelled“ORANGEMARMALADE”,buttohergreatdisappointmentitwas
tomt
empty:shedidnotliketo
släppa
dropthejarforfearofkillingsomebodyunderneath,somanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastit.“Well!”
thoughtAlicetoherself,“aftersuchafallasthis,Ishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairs!
Howbravethey’llallthinkmeathome!
Why,Iwouldn’tsayanythingaboutit,evenifIfelloffthetopofthehouse!”
(Whichwasverylikelytrue.)
Down,down,down.
Wouldthefallnevercometoanend?
“I
undrar
wonderhowmanymilesI’vefallenbythistime?”shesaidaloud.
“Imustbegettingsomewhere
nära
nearthecentreoftheearth.Letmesee:
thatwouldbefour
tusen
thousandmilesdown,Ithink—”(for,yousee,Alicehad
lärt
learntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroom,andthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledge,astherewasnoonetolistentoher,stillitwasgoodpracticetosayitover)“—yes,that’sabouttherightdistance—butthenIundrar
wonderwhatLatitudeorLongitudeI’vegotto?”(AlicehadnoideawhatLatitudewas,orLongitudeeither,butthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosay.)
Presentlyshe
började
beganagain.“IwonderifIshallfallrightthroughtheearth!
Howfunnyit’ll
verkar
seemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownward!TheAntipathies,Ithink—”
(shewas
ganska
rathergladtherewasnoonelistening,thistime,asitdidn’tsoundatalltherightword)“—butIshallhavetoaskthemwhatthenameofthecountryis,youknow.Please,Ma’am,isthisNewZealandorAustralia?”
(andshetriedtocurtseyasshespoke—fancycurtseyingasyou’refallingthroughtheair!
Doyouthinkyoucouldmanageit?)
“Andwhatanignorantlittlegirlshe’llthinkmeforasking!
No,it’llneverdotoask:
perhapsIshallseeitwrittenupsomewhere.”
Down,down,down.
Therewasnothingelsetodo,soAlicesoon
började
begantalkingagain.“Dinah’llmissmeverymuchto-night,Ishouldthink!”
(Dinahwasthe
katten
cat.)“Ihopethey’llrememberhersaucerof
mjölk
milkattea-time.Dinahmydear!
Iwishyouweredownherewithme!
Therearenomiceintheair,I’mafraid,butyoumightcatchabat,andthat’sverylikeamouse,youknow.
Butdocatseatbats,Iwonder?”
AndhereAlice
började
begantogetrathersleepy,andwentonsayingtoherself,inadreamysortofway,“Docatseatbats?Docatseatbats?”
andsometimes,“Dobatseatcats?”
for,yousee,asshecouldn’tanswereitherquestion,itdidn’tmuchmatterwhichwaysheputit.
Shefeltthatshewasdozingoff,andhadjust
börjat
beguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithDinah,andsayingtoherveryearnestly,“Now,Dinah,tellmethetruth:didyouevereatabat?”
when
plötsligt
suddenly,thump!thump!
downshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleaves,andthefallwasover.
Alicewasnotabithurt,andshe
hoppade
jumpedupontoherfeetinamoment:shelookedup,butitwasall
mörkt
darkoverhead;beforeherwasanotherlongpassage,andtheWhiteRabbitwasstillinsight,hurryingdownit.
Therewasnotamomenttobelost:
awaywentAlicelikethewind,andwasjustintimetohearitsay,asitturnedacorner,“Ohmyearsandwhiskers,howlateit’sgetting!”
Shewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecorner,buttheRabbitwasnolongertobeseen:
shefoundherselfinalong,
låg
lowhall,whichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroof.Thereweredoorsallroundthehall,buttheywerealllocked;
andwhenAlicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheother,tryingeverydoor,shewalkedsadlydownthe
mitten
middle,wonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagain.Plötsligt
Suddenlyshecameuponalittlethree-leggedbord
table,allmadeofsolidglas
glass;therewasnothingonit
förutom
exceptatinygoldenkey,andAlice’sfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehall;but,alas!
eitherthelocksweretoo
stora
large,orthekeywastoosmall,butatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthem.Men
However,onthesecondtimeround,shecameuponalåg
lowcurtainshehadnotmärkt
noticedbefore,andbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshigh:shetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelock,andtohergreatdelightit
passade
fitted!Aliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatit
ledde
ledintoasmallpassage,notmuchlargerthanarat-hole:shekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversaw.
Howshelongedtogetoutofthat
mörka
darkhall,andwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountains,butshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorway;“andevenifmyheadwouldgothrough,”thoughtpoorAlice,“itwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshoulders.
Oh,howIwishIcouldshutuplikeatelescope!
IthinkIcould,ifIonlyknewhowtobegin.”
For,yousee,somanyout-of-the-waythingshadhappenedlately,thatAlicehad
börjat
beguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereallyomöjligt
impossible.Thereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoor,soshewentbacktothe
bordet
table,halfhopingshemightfindanothernyckel
keyonit,oratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopes:thistimeshefoundalittle
flaska
bottleonit,(“whichcertainlywasnotherebefore,”saidAlice,)androundtheneckoftheflaska
bottlewasapaperlabel,withthewords“DRINKME,”beautifullyprintedonitinstora
largeletters.Itwasallverywelltosay“Drinkme,”butthewiselittleAlicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurry.
“No,I’lllookfirst,”shesaid,“andsee
om
whetherit’smarked‘poison’ornot”;forshehadread
flera
severalnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotburnt,andeatenupbyvilda
wildbeastsandotherunpleasantthings,allbecausetheywouldnotremembertheenkla
simplerulestheirfriendshadlärt
taughtthem:suchas,thatared-hotpokerwill
bränna
burnyouifyouholdittoolong;andthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywitha
kniv
knife,itusuallybleeds;andshehadneverforgottenthat,ifyoudrinkmuchfroma
flaska
bottlemarked“poison,”itisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyou,soonerorlater.Men
However,thisbottlewasnotmarked“poison,”soAliceventuredtosmaka
tasteit,andfindingitverynice,(ithad,infact,asortofmixedflavourofcherry-tart,custard,pine-apple,roastturkey,toffee,andhotbutteredtoast,)sheverysoonavslutade
finisheditoff.“Whatacuriousfeeling!”
saidAlice;
“Imustbeshuttinguplikeatelescope.”
Andsoitwasindeed:
shewasnowonlytenincheshigh,andherfacebrightenedupatthethoughtthatshewasnowtheright
storlek
sizeforgoingthroughthelittledoorintothatlovelygarden.First,
men
however,shewaitedforafewminutestoseeifshewasgoingtoshrinkanyytterligare
further:shefeltalittle
nervös
nervousaboutthis;“foritmightend,youknow,”saidAlicetoherself,“inmygoingoutaltogether,likeacandle.
I
undrar
wonderwhatIshouldbelikethen?”Andshetriedtofancywhattheflameofacandleislikeafterthecandleis
blåst
blownout,forshecouldnotremembereverhavingseensuchathing.Afterawhile,findingthatnothingmorehappened,she
bestämde
decidedongoingintothegardenatonce;but,alasforpoorAlice!
whenshegottothedoor,shefoundshehadforgottenthelittlegoldenkey,andwhenshewentbacktothe
bordet
tableforit,shefoundshecouldnotpossiblynå
reachit:shecouldseeitquiteplainlythroughtheglass,andshetriedherbesttoclimbuponeofthelegsofthe
bordet
table,butitwastooslippery;andwhenshehadtiredherselfoutwithtrying,thepoorlittlethingsatdownand
grät
cried.“Come,there’snousein
gråta
cryinglikethat!”saidAlicetoherself,
ganska
rathersharply;“Iadviseyoutoleaveoffthisminute!”
Shegenerallygaveherselfverygoodadvice,(thoughsheveryseldomfollowedit),andsometimesshescoldedherselfsoseverelyastobringtearsintohereyes;
andoncesherememberedtryingtoboxherownearsforhavingcheatedherselfinagameofcroquetshewasplayingagainstherself,forthiscuriouschildwasveryfondofpretendingtobetwopeople.
“Butit’snousenow,”thoughtpoorAlice,“topretendtobetwopeople!
Why,there’shardlyenoughofmelefttomakeonerespectableperson!”
Soonhereyefellonalittleglassboxthatwaslyingunderthe
bordet
table:sheopenedit,andfoundinitaverysmallcake,onwhichthewords“EATME”werebeautifullymarkedincurrants.
“Well,I’lleatit,”saidAlice,“andifitmakesmegrowlarger,Ican
nå
reachthekey;andifitmakesmegrowsmaller,Icancreepunderthedoor;
soeitherwayI’llgetintothegarden,andIdon’tcarewhichhappens!”
Sheatealittlebit,andsaidanxiouslytoherself,“Whichway?
Whichway?”,holdingherhandonthetopofherheadtofeelwhichwayitwas
växte
growing,andshewasquitesurprisedtofindthatsheremainedthesamestorlek
size:tobesure,thisgenerallyhappenswhenoneeatscake,butAlicehadgotsomuchintothewayof
förvänta
expectingnothingbutout-of-the-waythingstohappen,thatitverkade
seemedquitedullandstupidforlifetogooninthecommonway.CHAPTERII.ThePoolofTears
“Curiouserandcuriouser!”
grät
criedAlice(shewassomuchsurprised,thatforthemomentshequiteforgothowtospeakgoodEnglish);“nowI’mopeningoutlikethelargesttelescopethateverwas!
Good-bye,feet!”
(forwhenshelookeddownather
fötter
feet,theyseemedtobealmostoutofsight,theyweregettingsofaroff).“Oh,mypoorlittle
fötter
feet,Iwonderwhowillputonyourskor
shoesandstockingsforyounow,dears?I’msureIshan’tbeable!
Ishallbeagreatdealtoofarofftotroublemyselfaboutyou:
youmustmanagethebestwayyoucan;—butImustbekindtothem,”thoughtAlice,“orperhapstheywon’twalkthewayIwanttogo!
Letmesee:
I’llgivethemanewpairofbootseveryChristmas.”
Andshewentonplanningtoherselfhowshewouldmanageit.
“Theymustgobythecarrier,”shethought;
“andhowfunnyit’ll
verka
seem,sendingpresentstoone’sownfötter
feet!Andhowoddthedirectionswilllook!
Ohdear,whatnonsenseI’mtalking!”
Justthenherheadstruckagainsttheroofofthehall:
infactshewasnowmorethan
nio
ninefeethigh,andsheatoncetookupthelittlegoldenkeyandhurriedofftothegardendoor.PoorAlice!
Itwasasmuchasshecoulddo,lyingdownononeside,tolookthroughintothegardenwithone
öga
eye;buttogetthroughwasmorehopelessthanever:
shesatdownand
började
begantocryagain.“Yououghttobeashamedofyourself,”saidAlice,“agreatgirllikeyou,”(shemightwellsaythis),“togoon
gråta
cryinginthisway!Stopthismoment,Itellyou!”
Butshewentonallthesame,sheddinggallonsoftears,untiltherewasa
stor
largepoolallroundher,aboutfourinchesdjup
deepandreachinghalfdownthehall.Afteratimesheheardalittlepatteringof
fötter
feetinthedistance,andshehastilydriedhereyestoseewhatwascoming.ItwastheWhiteRabbitreturning,splendidlydressed,withapairofwhitekidglovesinonehandanda
stor
largefanintheother:hecametrottingalonginagreathurry,mutteringtohimselfashecame,“Oh!
theDuchess,theDuchess!
Oh!
won’tshebesavageifI’vekeptherwaiting!”
Alicefeltsodesperatethatshewasreadytoaskhelpofanyone;
so,whentheRabbitcame
nära
nearher,shebegan,inalåg
low,timidvoice,“Ifyouplease,sir—”TheRabbitstartedviolently,
släppte
droppedthewhitekidglovesandthefan,andskurriedawayintothedarknessashardashecouldgo.Alicetookupthefanandgloves,and,asthehallwasveryhot,shekeptfanningherselfallthetimeshewentontalking:
“Dear,dear!
Howqueereverythingisto-day!
And
igår
yesterdaythingswentonjustasusual.I
undrar
wonderifI’vebeenchangedinthenight?Letmethink:
wasIthesamewhenIgotupthismorning?
IalmostthinkIcanrememberfeelingalittledifferent.
ButifI’mnotthesame,thenextquestionis,WhointheworldamI?
Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle!”
Andshe
började
beganthinkingoverallthechildrensheknewthatwereofthesameålder
ageasherself,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,andfourtimes
sju
sevenis—ohdear!Ishallnevergettotwentyatthatrate!
Emellertid
However,theMultiplicationTabledoesn’tsignify:let’stryGeography.
LondonisthecapitalofParis,andParisisthecapitalofRome,andRome—no,that’sallwrong,I’m
säker
certain!ImusthavebeenchangedforMabel!
I’lltryandsay‘Howdoththelittle—’”andshe
korsade
crossedherhandsonherlapasifsheweresayinglessons,andbörjade
begantorepeatit,butherröst
voicesoundedhoarseandstrange,andthewordsdidnotcomethesameastheyusedtodo:—.“HowdoththelittlecrocodileImprovehisshiningtail,AndpourthewatersoftheNileOneverygoldenscale!
“Howcheerfullyhe
tycks
seemstogrin,Howneatlyspreadhisclaws,Andwelcomelittlefiskar
fishesinWithgentlysmilingjaws!”“I’msurethosearenottherightwords,”saidpoorAlice,andhereyesfilledwithtearsagainasshewenton,“ImustbeMabelafterall,andIshallhavetogoandliveinthatpokylittlehouse,andhavenexttonotoystoplaywith,andoh!
eversomanylessonsto
lära
learn!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!
Iamsovery
trött
tiredofbeingallalonehere!”Asshesaidthisshelookeddownatherhands,andwassurprisedtoseethatshehadputononeoftheRabbit’slittlewhitekidgloveswhileshewastalking.
“HowcanIhavedonethat?”
shethought.
“Imustbegrowingsmallagain.”
Shegotupandwenttothe
bordet
tabletomeasureherselfbyit,andfoundthat,asnearlyasshecouldguess,shewasnowabouttwofot
feethigh,andwasgoingonshrinkingrapidly:shesoonfoundoutthatthecauseofthiswasthefanshewasholding,andshe
släppte
droppedithastily,justintimetoavoidshrinkingawayaltogether.“Thatwasanarrowescape!”