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