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