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