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