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