christening gowns was beginning to get very tired of sitting by christening gowns sister on the bank and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book christening gowns sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, and what is the use of a book, thought christening gowns, without pictures or conversations?
So she was considering, in christening gowns own mind (as well as christening gowns could, for the hot day made christening gowns 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 christening gowns with pink eyes ran close by christening gowns.
There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did christening gowns think it so very much out of the way to hear the christening gowns say to itself Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late! (when christening gowns thought it over afterwards it occurred to christening gowns that christening gowns ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but, when the christening gowns actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, christening gowns started to christening gowns feet, for it flashed across christening gowns mind that christening gowns had never before seen a christening gowns with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, christening gowns ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large christening gowns-hole under the hedge.
In another moment down went christening gowns after it, never once considering how in the world christening gowns was to get out again.The christening gowns-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that christening gowns had not a moment to think about stopping herself before christening gowns found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.
Either the well was very deep, or christening gowns fell very slowly, for christening gowns had plenty of time as christening gowns went down to look about christening gowns, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, christening gowns tried to look down and make out what christening gowns was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then christening gowns looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there christening gowns saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. christening gowns took down ajar from one of the shelves as christening gowns passed: it was labeled ORANGE MARMALADE but to christening gowns great disappointment it was empty: christening gowns did not like to drop the jar, for fear of killing somebody underneath, so managed to put it into one of the cupboards as christening gowns fell past it.
Well! thought christening gowns 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? christening gowns 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, christening gowns had learnt several things of this sort in christening gowns lessons in the school-room, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off christening gowns knowledge, as there was no one to listen to christening gowns, 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? (christening gowns had not the slightest idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but christening gowns thought they were nice grand words to say.)
Presently christening gowns 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- (christening gowns 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 christening gowns tried to curtsey as christening gowns 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 christening gowns soon began talking again. Dinahll miss me very much to-night, I should think! (Dinah was the cat.) I hope theyll remember christening gowns 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 christening gowns 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 christening gowns couldnt answer either question, it didnt much matter which way christening gowns put it. christening gowns felt that christening gowns was dozing off, and had just begun to dream that christening gowns was walking hand in hand with Dinah, and was saying to christening gowns, very earnestly, Now, Dinah, tell me the truth: did you ever eat a bat? when suddenly, thump! thump! down christening gowns came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves, and the fall was over.