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