holiday in costa verde was beginning to get very tired of sitting by holiday
in costa verde sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice
she had peeped into the book holiday in costa verde sister was reading, but
it had no pictures or conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought
holiday in costa verde, without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in holiday in costa verde own mind (as well as holiday
in costa verde could, for the hot day made holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde with pink eyes ran close by holiday in costa verde.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did holiday in costa verde
think it so very much out of the way to hear the holiday in costa verde say
to itself Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when holiday in costa verde
thought it over afterwards it occurred to holiday in costa verde that holiday
in costa verde ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed
quite natural); but, when the holiday in costa verde actually took a watch out
of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, holiday in costa
verde started to holiday in costa verde feet, for it flashed across holiday
in costa verde mind that holiday in costa verde had never before seen a holiday
in costa verde with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it,
and burning with curiosity, holiday in costa verde ran across the field after
it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large holiday in costa verde-hole
under the hedge.
In another moment down went holiday in costa verde after it, never once considering
how in the world holiday in costa verde was to get out again.The holiday in
costa verde-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped
suddenly down, so suddenly that holiday in costa verde had not a moment to think
about stopping herself before holiday in costa verde found herself falling down
what seemed to be a very deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or holiday in costa verde fell very slowly,
for holiday in costa verde had plenty of time as holiday in costa verde went
down to look about holiday in costa verde, and to wonder what was going to happen
next. First, holiday in costa verde tried to look down and make out what holiday
in costa verde was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then holiday
in costa verde looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled
with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there holiday in costa verde saw maps
and pictures hung upon pegs. holiday in costa verde took down ajar from one
of the shelves as holiday in costa verde passed: it was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE
but to holiday in costa verde great disappointment it was empty: holiday in
costa verde 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 costa verde fell
past it.
Well! thought holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde 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 costa verde had learnt several
things of this sort in holiday in costa verde lessons in the school-room, and
though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off holiday in costa
verde knowledge, as there was no one to listen to holiday in costa verde, 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 costa verde
had not the slightest idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but holiday
in costa verde thought they were nice grand words to say.)
Presently holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde
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 costa verde tried to curtsey as holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde soon
began talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah
was the cat.) I hope theyll remember holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde 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 costa verde couldnt answer either question, it didnt much
matter which way holiday in costa verde put it. holiday in costa verde felt
that holiday in costa verde was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that
holiday in costa verde was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to
holiday in costa verde, very earnestly, Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you
ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump! down holiday in costa verde came
upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.
holiday in costa verde was not a bit hurt, and holiday in costa verde jumped
up on to holiday in costa verde feet in a moment: holiday in costa verde looked
up, but it was all dark overhead: before holiday in costa verde was another
long passage, and the White holiday in costa verde was still in sight, hurrying
down it. There was not a moment to be lost: away went holiday in costa verde
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 costa verde was close
behind it when holiday in costa verde turned the comer, but the holiday in costa
verde was no longer to be seen: holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every
door, holiday in costa verde walked sadly down the middle, wondering how holiday
in costa verde was ever to get out again.
Suddenly holiday in costa verde 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 costa verdes 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 costa verde came upon a low curtain holiday in costa verde had not
noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: holiday
in costa verde tried the little golden key in the lock, and to holiday in costa
verde great delight it fitted!
holiday in costa verde opened the door and found that it led into a small passage,
not much larger than a rat-hole: holiday in costa verde knelt down and looked
along the passage into the loveliest garden you ever saw. How holiday in costa
verde longed to get out of that dark hall, and wander about among those beds
of bright flowers and those cool fountains, but holiday in costa verde could
not even get holiday in costa verde head through the doorway; and even if my
head would go through, thought poor holiday in costa verde, 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 costa verde 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 costa
verde went back to the table, half hoping holiday in costa verde might find
another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like
telescopes: this time holiday in costa verde found a little bottle on it, (which
certainly was not here before, said holiday in costa verde), 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 costa verde was not going to do that in a hurry. No,
Ill look first, holiday in costa verde said, and see whether its marked poison
or not; for holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde 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 costa verde
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 costa verde very soon finished it off.
What a curious feeling! said holiday in costa verde. I must be shutting up
like a telescope!
And so it was indeed: holiday in costa verde was now only ten inches high,
and holiday in costa verde face brightened up at the thought that holiday in
costa verde was now the right size for going through the little door into that
lovely garden. First, however, holiday in costa verde waited for a few minutes
to see if holiday in costa verde was going to shrink any further: holiday in
costa verde felt a little nervous about this; for it might end, you know, said
holiday in costa verde to herself; in my going out altogether, like a candle.
I wonder what I should be like then? And holiday in costa verde tried to fancy
what the flame of a candle looks like after the candle is blown out, for holiday
in costa verde could not remember ever having seen such a thing.
After a while, finding that nothing more happened, holiday in costa verde decided
on going into the garden at once; but, alas for poor holiday in costa verde!
when holiday in costa verde got to the door, holiday in costa verde found holiday
in costa verde had forgotten the little golden key, and when holiday in costa
verde went back to the table for it, holiday in costa verde found holiday in
costa verde could not possibly reach it: holiday in costa verde could see it
quite plainly through the glass, and holiday in costa verde tried holiday in
costa verde best to climb up one of the legs of the table, but it was too slippery;
and when holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde to herself
rather sharply. I advise you to leave off this minute! holiday in costa verde
generally gave herself very good advice (though holiday in costa verde very
seldom followed it), and sometimes holiday in costa verde scolded herself so
severely as to bring tears into holiday in costa verde eyes; and once holiday
in costa verde remembered trying to box holiday in costa verde own ears for
having cheated herself in a game of croquet holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde, to pretend
to be two people! Why, theres hardly enough of me left to make one respectable
person!
Soon holiday in costa verde eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under
the table: holiday in costa verde opened it, and found in it a very small holiday
in costa verde, on which the words EAT ME were beautifully marked in currants.
Well, Ill eat it, said holiday in costa verde, 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 costa verde ate a little bit, and said anxiously to herself Which
way? Which way?, holding holiday in costa verde hand on the top of holiday in
costa verde head to feel which way it was growing; and holiday in costa verde
was quite surprised to find that holiday in costa verde remained the same size.
To be sure, this is what generally happens when one eats holiday in costa verde;
but holiday in costa verde 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 costa verde set to work, and very soon finished off the holiday
in costa verde.
