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