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