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