chapteridowntherabbitholealicewasbeginningtogetverytiredofsittingbyhersisteronthebankandofhavingnothingtodoonceortwiceshehadpeepedintothebookhersisterwasreadingbutithadnopicturesorconversationsinitandwhatistheuseofabookthoughtalicewithoutpicturesorconversationssoshewasconsideringinherownmindaswellasshecouldforthehotdaymadeherfeelverysleepyandstupidwhetherthepleasureofmakingadaisychainwouldbeworththetroubleofgettingupandpickingthedaisieswhensuddenlyawhiterabbitwithpinkeyesranclosebyhertherewasnothingsoveryremarkableinthatnordidalicethinkitsoverymuchoutofthewaytoheartherabbitsaytoitselfohdearohdearishallbelatewhenshethoughtitoverafterwardsitoccurredtoherthatsheoughttohavewonderedatthisbutatthetimeitallseemedquitenaturalbutwhentherabbitactuallytookawatchoutofitswaistcoatpocketandlookedatitandthenhurriedonalicestartedtoherfeetforitflashedacrosshermindthatshehadneverbeforeseenarabbitwitheitherawaistcoatpocketorawatchtotakeoutofitandburningwithcuriositysheranacrossthefieldafteritandfortunatelywasjustintimetoseeitpopdownalargerabbitholeunderthehedgeinanothermomentdownwentaliceafteritneveronceconsideringhowintheworldshewastogetoutagaintherabbitholewentstraightonlikeatunnelforsomewayandthendippedsuddenlydownsosuddenlythatalicehadnotamomenttothinkaboutstoppingherselfbeforeshefoundherselffallingdownaverydeepwelleitherthewellwasverydeeporshefellveryslowlyforshehadplentyoftimeasshewentdowntolookaboutherandtowonderwhatwasgoingtohappennextfirstshetriedtolookdownandmakeoutwhatshewascomingtobutitwastoodarktoseeanythingthenshelookedatthesidesofthewellandnoticedthattheywerefilledwithcupboardsandbookshelveshereandthereshesawmapsandpictureshunguponpegsshetookdownajarfromoneoftheshelvesasshepasseditwaslabelledorangemarmaladebuttohergreatdisappointmentitwasemptyshedidnotliketodropthejarforfearofkillingsomebodysomanagedtoputitintooneofthecupboardsasshefellpastitwellthoughtalicetoherselfaftersuchafallasthisishallthinknothingoftumblingdownstairshowbravetheyllallthinkmeathomewhyiwouldntsayanythingaboutitevenififelloffthetopofthehousewhichwasverylikelytruedowndowndownwouldthefallnevercometoanendiwonderhowmanymilesivefallenbythistimeshesaidaloudimustbegettingsomewherenearthecentreoftheearthletmeseethatwouldbefourthousandmilesdownithinkforyouseealicehadlearntseveralthingsofthissortinherlessonsintheschoolroomandthoughthiswasnotaverygoodopportunityforshowingoffherknowledgeastherewasnoonetolistentoherstillitwasgoodpracticetosayitoveryesthatsabouttherightdistancebuttheniwonderwhatlatitudeorlongitudeivegottoalicehadnoideawhatlatitudewasorlongitudeeitherbutthoughttheywerenicegrandwordstosaypresentlyshebeganagainiwonderifishallfallrightthroughtheearthhowfunnyitllseemtocomeoutamongthepeoplethatwalkwiththeirheadsdownwardtheantipathiesithinkshewasrathergladtherewasnoonelisteningthistimeasitdidntsoundatalltherightwordbutishallhavetoaskthemwhatthenameofthecountryisyouknowpleasemaamisthisnewzealandoraustraliaandshetriedtocurtseyasshespokefancycurtseyingasyourefallingthroughtheairdoyouthinkyoucouldmanageitandwhatanignorantlittlegirlshellthinkmeforaskingnoitllneverdotoaskperhapsishallseeitwrittenupsomewheredowndowndowntherewasnothingelsetodosoalicesoonbegantalkingagaindinahllmissmeverymuchtonightishouldthinkdinahwasthecatihopetheyllrememberhersaucerofmilkatteatimedinahmydeariwishyouweredownherewithmetherearenomiceintheairimafraidbutyoumightcatchabatandthatsverylikeamouseyouknowbutdocatseatbatsiwonderandherealicebegantogetrathersleepyandwentonsayingtoherselfinadreamysortofwaydocatseatbatsdocatseatbatsandsometimesdobatseatcatsforyouseeasshecouldntanswereitherquestionitdidntmuchmatterwhichwaysheputitshefeltthatshewasdozingoffandhadjustbeguntodreamthatshewaswalkinghandinhandwithdinahandsayingtoherveryearnestlynowdinahtellmethetruthdidyouevereatabatwhensuddenlythumpthumpdownshecameuponaheapofsticksanddryleavesandthefallwasoveralicewasnotabithurtandshejumpedupontoherfeetinamomentshelookedupbutitwasalldarkoverheadbeforeherwasanotherlongpassageandthewhiterabbitwasstillinsighthurryingdownittherewasnotamomenttobelostawaywentalicelikethewindandwasjustintimetohearitsayasitturnedacornerohmyearsandwhiskershowlateitsgettingshewasclosebehinditwhensheturnedthecornerbuttherabbitwasnolongertobeseenshefoundherselfinalonglowhallwhichwaslitupbyarowoflampshangingfromtheroofthereweredoorsallroundthehallbuttheywerealllockedandwhenalicehadbeenallthewaydownonesideanduptheothertryingeverydoorshewalkedsadlydownthemiddlewonderinghowshewasevertogetoutagainsuddenlyshecameuponalittlethreeleggedtableallmadeofsolidglasstherewasnothingonitexceptatinygoldenkeyandalicesfirstthoughtwasthatitmightbelongtooneofthedoorsofthehallbutalaseitherthelocksweretoolargeorthekeywastoosmallbutatanyrateitwouldnotopenanyofthemhoweveronthesecondtimeroundshecameuponalowcurtainshehadnotnoticedbeforeandbehinditwasalittledooraboutfifteenincheshighshetriedthelittlegoldenkeyinthelockandtohergreatdelightitfittedaliceopenedthedoorandfoundthatitledintoasmallpassagenotmuchlargerthanaratholeshekneltdownandlookedalongthepassageintotheloveliestgardenyoueversawhowshelongedtogetoutofthatdarkhallandwanderaboutamongthosebedsofbrightflowersandthosecoolfountainsbutshecouldnotevengetherheadthroughthedoorwayandevenifmyheadwouldgothroughthoughtpooraliceitwouldbeofverylittleusewithoutmyshouldersohhowiwishicouldshutuplikeatelescopeithinkicouldifionlyknewhowtobeginforyouseesomanyoutofthewaythingshadhappenedlatelythatalicehadbeguntothinkthatveryfewthingsindeedwerereallyimpossiblethereseemedtobenouseinwaitingbythelittledoorsoshewentbacktothetablehalfhopingshemightfindanotherkeyonitoratanyrateabookofrulesforshuttingpeopleupliketelescopesthistimeshefoundalittlebottleonitwhichcertainlywasnotherebeforesaidaliceandroundtheneckofthebottlewasapaperlabelwiththewordsdrinkmebeautifullyprintedonitinlargelettersitwasallverywelltosaydrinkmebutthewiselittlealicewasnotgoingtodothatinahurrynoilllookfirstshesaidandseewhetheritsmarkedpoisonornotforshehadreadseveralnicelittlehistoriesaboutchildrenwhohadgotburntandeatenupbywildbeastsandotherunpleasantthingsallbecausetheywouldnotrememberthesimplerulestheirfriendshadtaughtthemsuchasthataredhotpokerwillburnyouifyouholdittoolongandthatifyoucutyourfingerverydeeplywithaknifeitusuallybleedsandshehadneverforgottenthatifyoudrinkmuchfromabottlemarkedpoisonitisalmostcertaintodisagreewithyousoonerorlaterhoweverthisbottlewasnotmarkedpoisonsoaliceventuredtotasteitandfindingitveryniceithadinfactasortofmixedflavourofcherrytartcustardpineappleroastturkeytoffeeandhotbutteredtoastsheverysoonfinisheditoff