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