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