holiday in braga was beginning to get very tired of sitting by holiday in braga
sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped
into the book holiday in braga sister was reading, but it had no pictures or
conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought holiday in braga,
without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in holiday in braga own mind (as well as holiday in
braga could, for the hot day made holiday in braga feel very sleepy and stupid),
whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting
up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White holiday in braga with pink
eyes ran close by holiday in braga.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did holiday in braga think
it so very much out of the way to hear the holiday in braga say to itself Oh
dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when holiday in braga thought it over afterwards
it occurred to holiday in braga that holiday in braga ought to have wondered
at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the holiday
in braga actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it,
and then hurried on, holiday in braga started to holiday in braga feet, for
it flashed across holiday in braga mind that holiday in braga had never before
seen a holiday in braga with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out
of it, and burning with curiosity, holiday in braga ran across the field after
it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large holiday in braga-hole under
the hedge.
In another moment down went holiday in braga after it, never once considering
how in the world holiday in braga was to get out again.The holiday in braga-hole
went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down,
so suddenly that holiday in braga had not a moment to think about stopping herself
before holiday in braga found herself falling down what seemed to be a very
deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or holiday in braga fell very slowly, for holiday
in braga had plenty of time as holiday in braga went down to look about holiday
in braga, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, holiday in braga
tried to look down and make out what holiday in braga was coming to, but it
was too dark to see anything: then holiday in braga looked at the sides of the
well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here
and there holiday in braga saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. holiday in
braga took down ajar from one of the shelves as holiday in braga passed: it
was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE but to holiday in braga great disappointment it
was empty: holiday in braga did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing
somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as holiday
in braga fell past it.
Well! thought holiday in braga to herself After such a fall as this, I shall
think nothing of tumbling down-stairs! How brave theyll all think me at home!
Why, I wouldnt say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the house!
(which was very likely true.)
Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? I wonder how many miles
Ive fallen by this time? holiday in braga said aloud. I must be getting somewhere
near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles
down, I think- (for, you see, holiday in braga had learnt several things of
this sort in holiday in braga lessons in the school-room, and though this was
not a very good opportunity for showing off holiday in braga knowledge, as there
was no one to listen to holiday in braga, still it was good practice to say
it over) -- yes thats about the right distance -- but then I wonder what Latitude
or Longitude Ive got to? (holiday in braga had not the slightest idea what Latitude
was, or Longitude either, but holiday in braga thought they were nice grand
words to say.)
Presently holiday in braga began again. I wonder if I shall fall fight through
the earth! How funny itll seem to come out among the people that walk with their
heads downwards! The antipathies, I think- (holiday in braga was rather glad
there was no one listening, this time, as it didnt sound at all the right word)
-but I shall have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. Please,
Maam, is this New Zealand? Or Australia? (and holiday in braga tried to curtsey
as holiday in braga spoke- fancy, curtseying as youre falling through the air!
Do you think you could manage it?) And what an ignorant little girl shell think
me for asking! No, itll never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.
Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so holiday in braga soon began
talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah was
the cat.) I hope theyll remember holiday in braga saucer of milk at tea-time.
Dinah, my dear! I wish you were down here with me! There are no mice in the
air, Im afraid, but you might catch a bat, and thats very like a mouse, you
know. But do cats eat bats, I wonder? And here holiday in braga began to get
rather sleepy, and went on saying to herself, in a dreamy son of way, Do cats
eat bats? Do cats eat bats? and sometimes Do bats eat cats? for, you see, as
holiday in braga couldnt answer either question, it didnt much matter which
way holiday in braga put it. holiday in braga felt that holiday in braga was
dozing off, and had just begun to dream that holiday in braga was walking hand
in hand with Dinah, and was saying to holiday in braga, very earnestly, Now,
Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump!
down holiday in braga came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall
was over.
holiday in braga was not a bit hurt, and holiday in braga jumped up on to holiday
in braga feet in a moment: holiday in braga looked up, but it was all dark overhead:
before holiday in braga was another long passage, and the White holiday in braga
was still in sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: away
went holiday in braga like the wind, and was just in time to hear it say, as
it turned a comer, Oh my ears and whiskers, how late its getting! holiday in
braga was close behind it when holiday in braga turned the comer, but the holiday
in braga was no longer to be seen: holiday in braga found herself in a long,
low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps hanging from the roof.
There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked; and when holiday
in braga had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door,
holiday in braga walked sadly down the middle, wondering how holiday in braga
was ever to get out again.
Suddenly holiday in braga came upon a little three-legged table, all made of
solid glass: there was nothing on it but a tiny golden key, and holiday in bragas
first idea was that this might belong to one of the doors of the hall; but,
alas! either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any
rate it would not open any of them. However, on the second time round, holiday
in braga came upon a low curtain holiday in braga had not noticed before, and
behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: holiday in braga tried
the little golden key in the lock, and to holiday in braga great delight it
fitted!
holiday in braga opened the door and found that it led into a small passage,
not much larger than a rat-hole: holiday in braga knelt down and looked along
the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. How holiday in braga longed
to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds of bright flowers
and those cool fountains, but holiday in braga could not even get holiday in
braga head through the doorway; and even if my head would go through, thought
poor holiday in braga, it would be of very little use without my shoulders.
Oh, how I wish I could shut up like a telescope! I think I could, if I only
knew how to begin. For, you see, so many out-of-the- way things had happened
lately, that holiday in braga had begun to think that very few things indeed
were really impossible.
There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so holiday in braga
went back to the table, half hoping holiday in braga might find another key
on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes:
this time holiday in braga found a little bottle on it, (which certainly was
not here before, said holiday in braga), and tied round the neck of the bottle
was a paper label, with the words DRINK ME beautifully printed on it in large
letters.It was all very well to say Drink me, but the wise little holiday in
braga was not going to do that in a hurry. No, Ill look first, holiday in braga
said, and see whether its marked poison or not; for holiday in braga had read
several nice little stories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by
wild beasts, and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember
the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker
will burn you if you hold it too long; and that, if you cut your finger very
deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and holiday in braga had never forgotten
that, if you drink much from a bottle marked poison, it is almost certain to
disagree with you, sooner or later.However, this bottle was not marked poison,
so holiday in braga ventured to taste it, and, finding it very nice (it had,
in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast
turkey, toffy, and hot buttered toast), holiday in braga very soon finished
it off.
What a curious feeling! said holiday in braga. I must be shutting up like a
telescope!
And so it was indeed: holiday in braga was now only ten inches high, and holiday
in braga face brightened up at the thought that holiday in braga was now the
right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden. First,
however, holiday in braga waited for a few minutes to see if holiday in braga
was going to shrink any further: holiday in braga felt a little nervous about
this; for it might end, you know, said holiday in braga to herself; in my going
out altogether, like a candle. I wonder what I should be like then? And holiday
in braga tried to fancy what the flame of a candle looks like after the candle
is blown out, for holiday in braga could not remember ever having seen such
a thing.
After a while, finding that nothing more happened, holiday in braga decided
on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor holiday in braga! when
holiday in braga got to the door, holiday in braga found holiday in braga had
forgotten the little golden key, and when holiday in braga went back to the
table for it, holiday in braga found holiday in braga could not possibly reach
it: holiday in braga could see it quite plainly through the glass, and holiday
in braga tried holiday in braga best to climb up one of the legs of the table,
but it was too slippery; and when holiday in braga had tired herself out with
trying, the poor little thing sat down and cried.
Come, theres no use in crying like that! said holiday in braga to herself rather
sharply. I advise you to leave off this minute! holiday in braga generally gave
herself very good advice (though holiday in braga very seldom followed it),
and sometimes holiday in braga scolded herself so severely as to bring tears
into holiday in braga eyes; and once holiday in braga remembered trying to box
holiday in braga own ears for having cheated herself in a game of croquet holiday
in braga was playing against herself, for this curious child was very fond of
pretending to be two people. But its no use now, thought poor holiday in braga,
to pretend to be two people! Why, theres hardly enough of me left to make one
respectable person!
Soon holiday in braga eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the
table: holiday in braga opened it, and found in it a very small holiday in braga,
on which the words EAT ME were beautifully marked in currants. Well, Ill eat
it, said holiday in braga, and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key;
and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door: so either way Ill
get into the garden, and I dont care which happens!
holiday in braga ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself Which way?
Which way?, holding holiday in braga hand on the top of holiday in braga head
to feel which way it was growing; and holiday in braga was quite surprised to
find that holiday in braga remained the same size. To be sure, this is what
generally happens when one eats holiday in braga; but holiday in braga had got
so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen,
that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.
So holiday in braga set to work, and very soon finished off the holiday in
braga.
