Reading Help Alice's adventure in wonderland
effect, and she grew no larger: still it was very uncomfortable, `
` and, as there seemed to be no sort of chance of her ever getting `
` out of the room again, no wonder she felt unhappy. `
` `
` `It was much pleasanter at home,' thought poor Alice, `when one `
` wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about `
` by mice and rabbits. I almost wish I hadn't gone down that `
` rabbit-hole--and yet--and yet--it's rather curious, you know, `
` this sort of life! I do wonder what CAN have happened to me! `
` When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing `
` never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one! There `
` ought to be a book written about me, that there ought! And when `
` I grow up, I'll write one--but I'm grown up now,' she added in a `
` sorrowful tone; `at least there's no room to grow up any more `
` HERE.' `
` `
` `But then,' thought Alice, `shall I NEVER get any older than I `
` am now? That'll be a comfort, one way--never to be an old woman-- `
` but then--always to have lessons to learn! Oh, I shouldn't like THAT!' `
` `
` `Oh, you foolish Alice!' she answered herself. `How can you `
` learn lessons in here? Why, there's hardly room for YOU, and no `
` room at all for any lesson-books!' `
` `
` And so she went on, taking first one side and then the other, `
` and making quite a conversation of it altogether; but after a few `
` minutes she heard a voice outside, and stopped to listen. `
` `
` `Mary Ann! Mary Ann!' said the voice. `Fetch me my gloves `
` this moment!' Then came a little pattering of feet on the `
` stairs. Alice knew it was the Rabbit coming to look for her, and `
` she trembled till she shook the house, quite forgetting that she `
` was now about a thousand times as large as the Rabbit, and had no `
` reason to be afraid of it. `
` `
` Presently the Rabbit came up to the door, and tried to open it; `
` but, as the door opened inwards, and Alice's elbow was pressed `
` hard against it, that attempt proved a failure. Alice heard it `
` say to itself `Then I'll go round and get in at the window.' `
` `
` `THAT you won't' thought Alice, and, after waiting till she `
` fancied she heard the Rabbit just under the window, she suddenly `
` spread out her hand, and made a snatch in the air. She did not `
` get hold of anything, but she heard a little shriek and a fall, `
` and a crash of broken glass, from which she concluded that it was `
` just possible it had fallen into a cucumber-frame, or something `
` of the sort. `
` `
` Next came an angry voice--the Rabbit's--`Pat! Pat! Where are `
` you?' And then a voice she had never heard before, `Sure then `
` I'm here! Digging for apples, yer honour!' `
` `
` `Digging for apples, indeed!' said the Rabbit angrily. `Here! `
` Come and help me out of THIS!' (Sounds of more broken glass.) `
` `
` `Now tell me, Pat, what's that in the window?' `
` `
` `Sure, it's an arm, yer honour!' (He pronounced it `arrum.') `
` `
` `An arm, you goose! Who ever saw one that size? Why, it `
` fills the whole window!' `
` `
` `Sure, it does, yer honour: but it's an arm for all that.' `
` `
` `Well, it's got no business there, at any rate: go and take it `
` away!' `
` `
` There was a long silence after this, and Alice could only hear `
` whispers now and then; such as, `Sure, I don't like it, yer `
` honour, at all, at all!' `Do as I tell you, you coward!' and at `
` last she spread out her hand again, and made another snatch in `
` the air. This time there were TWO little shrieks, and more `
` sounds of broken glass. `What a number of cucumber-frames there `
` must be!' thought Alice. `I wonder what they'll do next! As for `
` pulling me out of the window, I only wish they COULD! I'm sure I `
` don't want to stay in here any longer!' `
` `
` She waited for some time without hearing anything more: at `
` last came a rumbling of little cartwheels, and the sound of a `
` good many voices all talking together: she made out the words: `
` `Where's the other ladder?--Why, I hadn't to bring but one; `
` Bill's got the other--Bill! fetch it here, lad!--Here, put 'em up `
` at this corner--No, tie 'em together first--they don't reach half `
` high enough yet--Oh! they'll do well enough; don't be particular-- `
` Here, Bill! catch hold of this rope--Will the roof bear?--Mind `
` that loose slate--Oh, it's coming down! Heads below!' (a loud `
` crash)--`Now, who did that?--It was Bill, I fancy--Who's to go `
` down the chimney?--Nay, I shan't! YOU do it!--That I won't, `
` then!--Bill's to go down--Here, Bill! the master says you're to `
` go down the chimney!' `
` `
` `Oh! So Bill's got to come down the chimney, has he?' said `
` Alice to herself. `Shy, they seem to put everything upon Bill! `
` I wouldn't be in Bill's place for a good deal: this fireplace is `
` narrow, to be sure; but I THINK I can kick a little!' `
` `
` She drew her foot as far down the chimney as she could, and `
` waited till she heard a little animal (she couldn't guess of what `
` sort it was) scratching and scrambling about in the chimney close `
` above her: then, saying to herself `This is Bill,' she gave one `
` sharp kick, and waited to see what would happen next. `
` `
` The first thing she heard was a general chorus of `There goes `
` Bill!' then the Rabbit's voice along--`Catch him, you by the `
` hedge!' then silence, and then another confusion of voices--`Hold `
` up his head--Brandy now--Don't choke him--How was it, old fellow? `
` What happened to you? Tell us all about it!' `
` `
` Last came a little feeble, squeaking voice, (`That's Bill,' `
` thought Alice,) `Well, I hardly know--No more, thank ye; I'm `
` better now--but I'm a deal too flustered to tell you--all I know `
` is, something comes at me like a Jack-in-the-box, and up I goes `
` like a sky-rocket!' `
` `
` `So you did, old fellow!' said the others. `
` `
` `We must burn the house down!' said the Rabbit's voice; and `
` Alice called out as loud as she could, `If you do. I'll set `
` Dinah at you!' `
` `
` There was a dead silence instantly, and Alice thought to `
` herself, `I wonder what they WILL do next! If they had any `
` sense, they'd take the roof off.' After a minute or two, they `
` began moving about again, and Alice heard the Rabbit say, `A `
` barrowful will do, to begin with.' `
` `
` `A barrowful of WHAT?' thought Alice; but she had not long to `
` doubt, for the next moment a shower of little pebbles came `
` rattling in at the window, and some of them hit her in the face. `
` `I'll put a stop to this,' she said to herself, and shouted out, `
` `You'd better not do that again!' which produced another dead `
` silence. `
` `
` Alice noticed with some surprise that the pebbles were all `
` turning into little cakes as they lay on the floor, and a bright `
` idea came into her head. `If I eat one of these cakes,' she `
` thought, `it's sure to make SOME change in my size; and as it `
` can't possibly make me larger, it must make me smaller, I `
` suppose.' `
` `
` So she swallowed one of the cakes, and was delighted to find `
` that she began shrinking directly. As soon as she was small `
` enough to get through the door, she ran out of the house, and `
` found quite a crowd of little animals and birds waiting outside. `
` The poor little Lizard, Bill, was in the middle, being held up by `
` two guinea-pigs, who were giving it something out of a bottle. `
` They all made a rush at Alice the moment she appeared; but she `
` ran off as hard as she could, and soon found herself safe in a `
` thick wood. `
` `
` `The first thing I've got to do,' said Alice to herself, as she `
` wandered about in the wood, `is to grow to my right size again; `
` and the second thing is to find my way into that lovely garden. `
` I think that will be the best plan.' `
` `
` It sounded an excellent plan, no doubt, and very neatly and `
` simply arranged; the only difficulty was, that she had not the `
` smallest idea how to set about it; and while she was peering `
` about anxiously among the trees, a little sharp bark just over `
` her head made her look up in a great hurry. `
` `
` An enormous puppy was looking down at her with large round `
` eyes, and feebly stretching out one paw, trying to touch her. `
` `Poor little thing!' said Alice, in a coaxing tone, and she tried `
` hard to whistle to it; but she was terribly frightened all the `
` time at the thought that it might be hungry, in which case it `
` would be very likely to eat her up in spite of all her coaxing. `
` `
` Hardly knowing what she did, she picked up a little bit of `
` stick, and held it out to the puppy; whereupon the puppy jumped `
` into the air off all its feet at once, with a yelp of delight, `
` and rushed at the stick, and made believe to worry it; then Alice `
` dodged behind a great thistle, to keep herself from being run `
` over; and the moment she appeared on the other side, the puppy `
` made another rush at the stick, and tumbled head over heels in `
` its hurry to get hold of it; then Alice, thinking it was very `
` like having a game of play with a cart-horse, and expecting every `
` moment to be trampled under its feet, ran round the thistle `
` again; then the puppy began a series of short charges at the `
` stick, running a very little way forwards each time and a long `
` way back, and barking hoarsely all the while, till at last it sat `
` down a good way off, panting, with its tongue hanging out of its `
` mouth, and its great eyes half shut. `
` `
` This seemed to Alice a good opportunity for making her escape; `
` so she set off at once, and ran till she was quite tired and out `
` of breath, and till the puppy's bark sounded quite faint in the `
` distance. `
` `
` `And yet what a dear little puppy it was!' said Alice, as she `
` leant against a buttercup to rest herself, and fanned herself `
` with one of the leaves: `I should have liked teaching it tricks `
` very much, if--if I'd only been the right size to do it! Oh `
` dear! I'd nearly forgotten that I've got to grow up again! Let `
` me see--how IS it to be managed? I suppose I ought to eat or `
` drink something or other; but the great question is, what?' `
` `
` The great question certainly was, what? Alice looked all round `
` her at the flowers and the blades of grass, but she did not see `
` anything that looked like the right thing to eat or drink under `
` the circumstances. There was a large mushroom growing near her, `
`
` and, as there seemed to be no sort of chance of her ever getting `
` out of the room again, no wonder she felt unhappy. `
` `
` `It was much pleasanter at home,' thought poor Alice, `when one `
` wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about `
` by mice and rabbits. I almost wish I hadn't gone down that `
` rabbit-hole--and yet--and yet--it's rather curious, you know, `
` this sort of life! I do wonder what CAN have happened to me! `
` When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing `
` never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one! There `
` ought to be a book written about me, that there ought! And when `
` I grow up, I'll write one--but I'm grown up now,' she added in a `
` sorrowful tone; `at least there's no room to grow up any more `
` HERE.' `
` `
` `But then,' thought Alice, `shall I NEVER get any older than I `
` am now? That'll be a comfort, one way--never to be an old woman-- `
` but then--always to have lessons to learn! Oh, I shouldn't like THAT!' `
` `
` `Oh, you foolish Alice!' she answered herself. `How can you `
` learn lessons in here? Why, there's hardly room for YOU, and no `
` room at all for any lesson-books!' `
` `
` And so she went on, taking first one side and then the other, `
` and making quite a conversation of it altogether; but after a few `
` minutes she heard a voice outside, and stopped to listen. `
` `
` `Mary Ann! Mary Ann!' said the voice. `Fetch me my gloves `
` this moment!' Then came a little pattering of feet on the `
` stairs. Alice knew it was the Rabbit coming to look for her, and `
` she trembled till she shook the house, quite forgetting that she `
` was now about a thousand times as large as the Rabbit, and had no `
` reason to be afraid of it. `
` `
` Presently the Rabbit came up to the door, and tried to open it; `
` but, as the door opened inwards, and Alice's elbow was pressed `
` hard against it, that attempt proved a failure. Alice heard it `
` say to itself `Then I'll go round and get in at the window.' `
` `
` `THAT you won't' thought Alice, and, after waiting till she `
` fancied she heard the Rabbit just under the window, she suddenly `
` spread out her hand, and made a snatch in the air. She did not `
` get hold of anything, but she heard a little shriek and a fall, `
` and a crash of broken glass, from which she concluded that it was `
` just possible it had fallen into a cucumber-frame, or something `
` of the sort. `
` `
` Next came an angry voice--the Rabbit's--`Pat! Pat! Where are `
` you?' And then a voice she had never heard before, `Sure then `
` I'm here! Digging for apples, yer honour!' `
` `
` `Digging for apples, indeed!' said the Rabbit angrily. `Here! `
` Come and help me out of THIS!' (Sounds of more broken glass.) `
` `
` `Now tell me, Pat, what's that in the window?' `
` `
` `Sure, it's an arm, yer honour!' (He pronounced it `arrum.') `
` `
` `An arm, you goose! Who ever saw one that size? Why, it `
` fills the whole window!' `
` `
` `Sure, it does, yer honour: but it's an arm for all that.' `
` `
` `Well, it's got no business there, at any rate: go and take it `
` away!' `
` `
` There was a long silence after this, and Alice could only hear `
` whispers now and then; such as, `Sure, I don't like it, yer `
` honour, at all, at all!' `Do as I tell you, you coward!' and at `
` last she spread out her hand again, and made another snatch in `
` the air. This time there were TWO little shrieks, and more `
` sounds of broken glass. `What a number of cucumber-frames there `
` must be!' thought Alice. `I wonder what they'll do next! As for `
` pulling me out of the window, I only wish they COULD! I'm sure I `
` don't want to stay in here any longer!' `
` `
` She waited for some time without hearing anything more: at `
` last came a rumbling of little cartwheels, and the sound of a `
` good many voices all talking together: she made out the words: `
` `Where's the other ladder?--Why, I hadn't to bring but one; `
` Bill's got the other--Bill! fetch it here, lad!--Here, put 'em up `
` at this corner--No, tie 'em together first--they don't reach half `
` high enough yet--Oh! they'll do well enough; don't be particular-- `
` Here, Bill! catch hold of this rope--Will the roof bear?--Mind `
` that loose slate--Oh, it's coming down! Heads below!' (a loud `
` crash)--`Now, who did that?--It was Bill, I fancy--Who's to go `
` down the chimney?--Nay, I shan't! YOU do it!--That I won't, `
` then!--Bill's to go down--Here, Bill! the master says you're to `
` go down the chimney!' `
` `
` `Oh! So Bill's got to come down the chimney, has he?' said `
` Alice to herself. `Shy, they seem to put everything upon Bill! `
` I wouldn't be in Bill's place for a good deal: this fireplace is `
` narrow, to be sure; but I THINK I can kick a little!' `
` `
` She drew her foot as far down the chimney as she could, and `
` waited till she heard a little animal (she couldn't guess of what `
` sort it was) scratching and scrambling about in the chimney close `
` above her: then, saying to herself `This is Bill,' she gave one `
` sharp kick, and waited to see what would happen next. `
` `
` The first thing she heard was a general chorus of `There goes `
` Bill!' then the Rabbit's voice along--`Catch him, you by the `
` hedge!' then silence, and then another confusion of voices--`Hold `
` up his head--Brandy now--Don't choke him--How was it, old fellow? `
` What happened to you? Tell us all about it!' `
` `
` Last came a little feeble, squeaking voice, (`That's Bill,' `
` thought Alice,) `Well, I hardly know--No more, thank ye; I'm `
` better now--but I'm a deal too flustered to tell you--all I know `
` is, something comes at me like a Jack-in-the-box, and up I goes `
` like a sky-rocket!' `
` `
` `So you did, old fellow!' said the others. `
` `
` `We must burn the house down!' said the Rabbit's voice; and `
` Alice called out as loud as she could, `If you do. I'll set `
` Dinah at you!' `
` `
` There was a dead silence instantly, and Alice thought to `
` herself, `I wonder what they WILL do next! If they had any `
` sense, they'd take the roof off.' After a minute or two, they `
` began moving about again, and Alice heard the Rabbit say, `A `
` barrowful will do, to begin with.' `
` `
` `A barrowful of WHAT?' thought Alice; but she had not long to `
` doubt, for the next moment a shower of little pebbles came `
` rattling in at the window, and some of them hit her in the face. `
` `I'll put a stop to this,' she said to herself, and shouted out, `
` `You'd better not do that again!' which produced another dead `
` silence. `
` `
` Alice noticed with some surprise that the pebbles were all `
` turning into little cakes as they lay on the floor, and a bright `
` idea came into her head. `If I eat one of these cakes,' she `
` thought, `it's sure to make SOME change in my size; and as it `
` can't possibly make me larger, it must make me smaller, I `
` suppose.' `
` `
` So she swallowed one of the cakes, and was delighted to find `
` that she began shrinking directly. As soon as she was small `
` enough to get through the door, she ran out of the house, and `
` found quite a crowd of little animals and birds waiting outside. `
` The poor little Lizard, Bill, was in the middle, being held up by `
` two guinea-pigs, who were giving it something out of a bottle. `
` They all made a rush at Alice the moment she appeared; but she `
` ran off as hard as she could, and soon found herself safe in a `
` thick wood. `
` `
` `The first thing I've got to do,' said Alice to herself, as she `
` wandered about in the wood, `is to grow to my right size again; `
` and the second thing is to find my way into that lovely garden. `
` I think that will be the best plan.' `
` `
` It sounded an excellent plan, no doubt, and very neatly and `
` simply arranged; the only difficulty was, that she had not the `
` smallest idea how to set about it; and while she was peering `
` about anxiously among the trees, a little sharp bark just over `
` her head made her look up in a great hurry. `
` `
` An enormous puppy was looking down at her with large round `
` eyes, and feebly stretching out one paw, trying to touch her. `
` `Poor little thing!' said Alice, in a coaxing tone, and she tried `
` hard to whistle to it; but she was terribly frightened all the `
` time at the thought that it might be hungry, in which case it `
` would be very likely to eat her up in spite of all her coaxing. `
` `
` Hardly knowing what she did, she picked up a little bit of `
` stick, and held it out to the puppy; whereupon the puppy jumped `
` into the air off all its feet at once, with a yelp of delight, `
` and rushed at the stick, and made believe to worry it; then Alice `
` dodged behind a great thistle, to keep herself from being run `
` over; and the moment she appeared on the other side, the puppy `
` made another rush at the stick, and tumbled head over heels in `
` its hurry to get hold of it; then Alice, thinking it was very `
` like having a game of play with a cart-horse, and expecting every `
` moment to be trampled under its feet, ran round the thistle `
` again; then the puppy began a series of short charges at the `
` stick, running a very little way forwards each time and a long `
` way back, and barking hoarsely all the while, till at last it sat `
` down a good way off, panting, with its tongue hanging out of its `
` mouth, and its great eyes half shut. `
` `
` This seemed to Alice a good opportunity for making her escape; `
` so she set off at once, and ran till she was quite tired and out `
` of breath, and till the puppy's bark sounded quite faint in the `
` distance. `
` `
` `And yet what a dear little puppy it was!' said Alice, as she `
` leant against a buttercup to rest herself, and fanned herself `
` with one of the leaves: `I should have liked teaching it tricks `
` very much, if--if I'd only been the right size to do it! Oh `
` dear! I'd nearly forgotten that I've got to grow up again! Let `
` me see--how IS it to be managed? I suppose I ought to eat or `
` drink something or other; but the great question is, what?' `
` `
` The great question certainly was, what? Alice looked all round `
` her at the flowers and the blades of grass, but she did not see `
` anything that looked like the right thing to eat or drink under `
` the circumstances. There was a large mushroom growing near her, `
`