•

Vri sn ɖ Rabit notist Alis, az ś wnt huntñ abt, n cōld ǎt t hr in an angri ton, “Ẃ, Mẹri Án, ẃt r y dwñ ǎt hir? Run hom ɖs momnt, n feć m a per v gluvz n a fan! Qc, nǎ!” N Alis wz so mć frîtnd ɖt ś ran of at wns in ɖ d’rex́n it pôntd t, wɖt trayñ t xplen ɖ mstec it hd md.

“H tc m fr hiz hǎsmeid,” ś sd t hrslf az ś ran. “Hǎ s’prîzd h’l b ẃn h fîndz ǎt hu I am! Bt I’d betr tec him hiz fan n gluvz—ɖt z, f I cn fînd ɖm.” Az ś sd ɖs, ś cem upn a nīt litl hǎs, on ɖ dor v ẃć wz a brît bras plet wɖ ɖ nem “W. RABIT” ingrevd upn it. Ś wnt in wɖt nocñ, n hurid upsterz, in gret fir lest ś śd mīt ɖ riyl Mẹri Án, n b trnd ǎt v ɖ hǎs bfr ś hd faund ɖ fan n gluvz.

“Hǎ qir it sīmz,” Alis sd t hrslf, “t b gwñ meṣjz fr a rabit! I s’poz Dîna’l b sndñ m on meṣjz nxt!” N ś bgan fansiyñ ɖ sort v ʈñ ɖt wd hapn: “‘Mis Alis! Cm hir d’recli, n gt redi fr yr wōc!’ ‘Cmñ in a minit, nrs! Bt I’v got t si ɖt ɖ mǎs dz’nt gt ǎt.’ Onli I d’nt ʈnc,” Alis wnt on, “ɖt ɖ’d let Dîna stop in ɖ hǎs f it bgan orḍrñ ppl abt lîc ɖt!”

Bî ɖs tîm ś hd faund hr we intu a tîdi litl rūm wɖ a tebl in ɖ windo, n on it (az ś hd hopt) a fan n tū or ʈri perz v tîni ẃît cid gluvz: ś tc p ɖ fan n a per v ɖ gluvz, n wz jst gwñ t līv ɖ rūm, ẃn hr î fél upn a litl botl ɖt std nir ɖ lcñglas. Ɖr wz no lebl ɖs tîm wɖ ɖ wrdz “DRINC MI,” bt nvɖles ś uncorct it n pt it t hr lips. “I nǒ smʈñ inṭrestñ z śr t hapn,” ś sd t hrslf, “ẃnvr I īt or drinc enʈñ; so I’l jst si ẃt ɖs botl dz. I d hop it’l mc m gro larj agn, fr riyli I’m qt tîrd v biyñ sć a tîni litl ʈñ!”

It dd so indd, n mć snr ɖn ś hd xpctd: bfr ś hd drunc haf ɖ botl, ś faund hr hed presñ agnst ɖ sīlñ, n hd t stūp t sev hr nec fṛm biyñ brocn. Ś hesṭli pt dǎn ɖ botl, seyñ t hrslf “Ɖt’s qt inuf—I hop I ś’nt gro eni mor—Az it z, I c’nt gt ǎt at ɖ dor—I d wś I hd’nt drunc qt so mć!”

Alas! it wz tù lêt t wś ɖt! Ś wnt on growñ, n growñ, n vri sn hd t nīl dǎn on ɖ flor: in anɖr minit ɖr wz nt īvn rūm fr ɖs, n ś traid ɖ ifct v layñ dǎn wɖ wn elbo agnst ɖ dor, n ɖ uɖr arm crld rnd hr hed. Stl ś wnt on growñ, n, az a last rzors, ś pt wn arm ǎt v ɖ windo, n wn ft p ɖ ćimni, n sd t hrslf “Nǎ I cn d no mor, ẃtvr hapnz. Ẃt wl bcm v m?”

Luc̣li fr Alis, ɖ litl majic botl hd nǎ hd its fl ifct, n ś grù no larjr: stl it wz vri uncumf̣tbl, n, az ɖr sīmd t b no sort v ćans v hr evr gtñ ǎt v ɖ rūm agn, no wundr ś flt unhapi.

“It wz mć plezntr at hom,” ʈt pur Alis, “ẃn wn wz’nt olwz growñ larjr n smōlr, n biyñ ordrd abt bî mîs n rabits. I olmst wś I hd’nt gn dǎn ɖt rabithoul—n yt—n yt—it’s rɖr krịs, y nǒ, ɖs sort v lîf! I d wundr ẃt cn hv hapnd t m! Ẃn I yst t rīd fẹritêlz, I fansid ɖt cnd v ʈñ nvr hapnd, n nǎ hir I am in ɖ midl v wn! Ɖr òt t b a bc ritn abt m, ɖt ɖr òt! N ẃn I gro p, I’l rait wn—bt I’m groun p nǎ,” ś add in a soṛfl ton; “at līst ɖr’z no rūm t gro p eni mor hir.”

“Bt ɖen,” ʈt Alis, “śl I nvr gt eni oldr ɖn I am nǎ? Ɖt’l b a cumf̣t, wn we—nvr t b an old wmn—bt ɖen—olwz t hv lésnz t lrn! Ǒ, I śd’nt lîc ɖt!”

“Ǒ, y fūliś Alis!” ś ansrd hrslf. “Hǎ cn y lrn lésnz in hir? Ẃ, ɖr’z hardli rūm fr y, n no rūm at ol fr eni lésn-bcs!”

N so ś wnt on, tecñ frst wn sîd n ɖen ɖ uɖr, n mcñ qt a convseśn v it oltgɖr; bt aftr a fy minits ś hŕd a vôs ǎtsd, n stopt t lisn.

“Mẹri Án! Mẹri Án!” sd ɖ vôs. “Feć m mî gluvz ɖs momnt!” Ɖen cem a litl paṭrñ v fīt on ɖ sterz. Alis ń it wz ɖ Rabit cmñ t lc fr hr, n ś trembld tl ś śc ɖ hǎs, qt fgetñ ɖt ś wz nǎ abt a ʈǎznd tîmz az larj az ɖ Rabit, n hd no rīzn t b afreid v it.

Prezntli ɖ Rabit cem p t ɖ dor, n traid t opn it; bt, az ɖ dor opnd inẉdz, n Alis’z elbo wz prest hard agnst it, ɖt atmt pruvd a fełr. Alis hŕd it se t itslf “Ɖen I’l g rnd n gt in at ɖ windo.”

“Ɖt y w’nt” ʈt Alis, n, aftr wêtñ tl ś fansid ś hŕd ɖ Rabit jst undr ɖ windo, ś sudnli spred ǎt hr hand, n md a snać in ɖ er. Ś dd nt gt hold v enʈñ, bt ś hŕd a litl śrīc n a fōl, n a craś v brocn glas, fṛm ẃć ś cncludd ɖt it wz jst poṣbl it hd fōḷn intu a kcumbrfrem, or smʈñ v ɖ sort.

Nxt cem an angri vôs—ɖ Rabit’s—“Pat! Pat! Ẃr r y?” N ɖen a vôs ś hd nvr hŕd bfr, “Śr ɖen I’m hir! Digñ fr aplz, y’onr!”

“Digñ fr aplz, indd!” sd ɖ Rabit angṛli. “Hir! Cm n hlp m ǎt v ɖs!” (Sǎndz v mor brocn glas.)

“Nǎ tel m, Pat, ẃt’s ɖt in ɖ windo?”

“Śr, it’s an arm, y’onr!” (H pṛnǎnst it “aṛm.”)

“An arm, y gūs! Hu evr sw wn ɖt sîz? Ẃ, it filz ɖ hol windo!”

“Śr, it dz, y’onr: bt it’s an aṛm fr ol ɖt.”

“Wel, it’s got no biznis ɖr, at eni ret: g n tec it awe!”

Ɖr wz a loñ sîḷns aftr ɖs, n Alis cd onli hír ẃisprz nǎ n ɖen; sć az, “Śr, I d’nt lîc it, y’onr, at ol, at ol!” “D az I tel y, y cawd!” n at last ś spred ǎt hr hand agn, n md anɖr snać in ɖ er. Ɖs tîm ɖr wr tū litl śrīcz, n mor sǎndz v brocn glas. “Ẃt a numbr v kcumbrfremz ɖr mst b!” ʈt Alis. “I wundr ẃt ɖ’l d nxt! Az fr pŭlñ m ǎt v ɖ windo, I onli wś ɖe cd! I’m śr I d’nt wont t ste in hir eni longr!”

Ś wêtd fr sm tîm wɖt hírñ enʈñ mor: at last cem a rumḅlñ v litl cartẃīlz, n ɖ sǎnd v a gd mni vôsz ol tōcñ tgɖr: ś md ǎt ɖ wrdz: “Ẃr’z ɖ uɖr ladr?—Ẃ, I hd’nt t brñ bt wn; Bil’z got ɖ uɖr—Bil! feć it hir, lad!—Hir, pt ’em p at ɖs cornr—No, tî ’em tgɖr frst—ɖe d’nt rīć haf hî inuf yt—Ǒ! ɖ’l d wel inuf; d’nt b ptiklr—Hir, Bil! cać hold v ɖs rop—Wl ɖ rūf ber?—Mînd ɖt lūs slet—Ǒ, it’s cmñ dǎn! Hedz b’lo!” (a lǎd craś)—“Nǎ, hu dd ɖt?—It wz Bil, I fansi—Hu’z t g dǎn ɖ ćimni?—Nê, I ś’nt! Y d it!—Ɖt I w’nt, ɖen!—Bil’z t g dǎn—Hir, Bil! ɖ mastr sz y’r t g dǎn ɖ ćimni!”

“Ǒ! So Bil’z got t cm dǎn ɖ ćimni, hz h?” sd Alis t hrslf. “Śî, ɖe sīm t pt evrʈñ upn Bil! I wd’nt b in Bil’z ples fr a gd dīl: ɖs fîrples z naro, t b śr; bt I ʈnc I cn cic a litl!”

Ś drù hr ft az far dǎn ɖ ćimni az ś cd, n wêtd tl ś hŕd a litl animl (ś cd’nt ges v ẃt sort it wz) scraćñ n scramḅlñ abt in ɖ ćimni clos abv hr: ɖen, seyñ t hrslf “Ɖs z Bil,” ś gev wn śarp cic, n wêtd t si ẃt wd hapn nxt.

Ɖ frst ʈñ ś hŕd wz a jenṛl cōṛs v “Ɖr gz Bil!” ɖen ɖ Rabit’s vôs alon—“Cać him, y bî ɖ hej!” ɖen sîḷns, n ɖen anɖr cnfyźn v vôsz—“Hold p hiz hed—Brandi nǎ—D’nt ćoc him—Hǎ wz it, old felo? Ẃt hapnd t y? Tel s ol abt it!”

Last cem a litl fībl, sqīcñ vôs, (“Ɖt’s Bil,” ʈt Alis,) “Wel, I hardli nǒ—No mor, ʈanc yi; I’m betr nǎ—bt I’m a dīl tù flustrd t tel y—ol I nǒ z, smʈñ cmz at m lîc a Jac-in-ɖ-box, n p I gz lîc a scîrocit!”

“So y dd, old felo!” sd ɖ uɖrz.

“W mst brn ɖ hǎs dǎn!” sd ɖ Rabit’s vôs; n Alis cōld ǎt az lǎd az ś cd, “F y d. I’l set Dîna at y!”

Ɖr wz a ded sîḷns instntli, n Alis ʈt t hrslf, “I wundr ẃt ɖe wl d nxt! F ɖe hd eni sns, ɖ’d tec ɖ rūf of.” Aftr a minit or tū, ɖe bgan muvñ abt agn, n Alis hŕd ɖ Rabit se, “A barofl wl d, t bgin wɖ.”

“A barofl v ẃt?” ʈt Alis; bt ś hd nt loñ t dǎt, fr ɖ nxt momnt a śǎr v litl peblz cem raṭlñ in at ɖ windo, n sm v ɖm hit hr in ɖ fes. “I’l pt a stop t ɖs,” ś sd t hrslf, n śǎtd ǎt, “Y’d betr nt d ɖt agn!” ẃć pṛdyst anɖr ded sîḷns.

Alis notist wɖ sm s’prîz ɖt ɖ peblz wr ol trnñ intu litl cecs az ɖe le on ɖ flor, n a brît îdīa cem intu hr hed. “F I īt wn v ɖz cecs,” ś ʈt, “it’s śr t mc sm ćenj in mî sîz; n az it c’nt poṣbli mc m larjr, it mst mc m smōlr, I s’poz.”

So ś swoloud wn v ɖ cecs, n wz dlîtd t fînd ɖt ś bgan śrincñ d’recli. Az sn az ś wz smōl inuf t gt ʈru ɖ dor, ś ran ǎt v ɖ hǎs, n faund qt a crǎd v litl animlz n brdz wêtñ ǎtsd. Ɖ pur litl Liẓd, Bil, wz in ɖ midl, biyñ hld p bî tū ginipigz, hu wr gvñ it smʈñ ǎt v a botl. Ɖe ol md a ruś at Alis ɖ momnt ś apird; bt ś ran of az hard az ś cd, n sn faund hrslf sef in a ʈic wŭd.

“Ɖ frst ʈñ I’v got t d,” sd Alis t hrslf, az ś wondrd abt in ɖ wŭd, “z t gro t mî rît sîz agn; n ɖ secnd ʈñ z t fînd mî we intu ɖt luvli gardn. I ʈnc ɖt wl b ɖ bst plan.”

It sǎndd an xḷnt plan, no dǎt, n vri nītli n simpli arenjd; ɖ onli dificlti wz, ɖt ś hd nt ɖ smōlist îdīa hǎ t set abt it; n ẃl ś wz pirñ abt añśsli amñ ɖ triz, a litl śarp barc jst ovr hr hed md hr lc p in a gret huri.

An inorṃs pupi wz lcñ dǎn at hr wɖ larj rǎnd îz, n fībli strećñ ǎt wn pw, trayñ t tuć hr. “Pur litl ʈñ!” sd Alis, in a cǒxñ ton, n ś traid hard t ẃisl t it; bt ś wz teṛbli frîtnd ol ɖ tîm at ɖ ʈt ɖt it mt b hungri, in ẃć ces it wd b vri lîcli t īt hr p in spît v ol hr cǒxñ.

Hardli nwñ ẃt ś dd, ś pict p a litl bit v stic, n hld it ǎt t ɖ pupi; ẃr’pn ɖ pupi jumt intu ɖ er of ol its fīt at wns, wɖ a ylp v dlît, n ruśt at ɖ stic, n md b’liv t wuri it; ɖen Alis dojd bhnd a gret ʈisl, t cīp hrslf fṛm biyñ run ovr; n ɖ momnt ś apird on ɖ uɖr sîd, ɖ pupi md anɖr ruś at ɖ stic, n tumbld hed ovr hìlz in its huri t gt hold v it; ɖen Alis, ʈncñ it wz vri lîc hvñ a gem v ple wɖ a carthors, n xpctñ evri momnt t b trampld undr its fīt, ran rnd ɖ ʈisl agn; ɖen ɖ pupi bgan a siriz v śort ćarjz at ɖ stic, runñ a vri litl we fwdz ć tîm n a loñ we bac, n barcñ hōrsli ol ɖ ẃl, tl at last it sat dǎn a gd we of, pantñ, wɖ its tuñ haññ ǎt v its mǎʈ, n its gret îz haf śut.

Ɖs sīmd t Alis a gd oṗtyṇti fr mcñ hr iscep; so ś set of at wns, n ran tl ś wz qt tîrd n ǎt v breʈ, n tl ɖ pupi’z barc sǎndd qt fent in ɖ distns.

“N yt ẃt a dir litl pupi it wz!” sd Alis, az ś lent agnst a butrcup t rest hrslf, n fand hrslf wɖ wn v ɖ līvz: “I śd hv lîct tīćñ it trics vri mć, f—f I’d onli bn ɖ rît sîz t d it! Ǒ dir! I’d nirli fgotn ɖt I’v got t gro p agn! Let m si—hǎ z it t b manijd? I s’poz I òt t īt or drinc smʈñ or uɖr; bt ɖ gret qsćn z, ẃt?”

Ɖ gret qsćn srtnli wz, ẃt? Alis lct ol rnd hr at ɖ flǎrz n ɖ bledz v gras, bt ś dd nt si enʈñ ɖt lct lîc ɖ rît ʈñ t īt or drinc undr ɖ srcmstansz. Ɖr wz a larj muśrum growñ nir hr, abt ɖ sem hît az hrslf; n ẃn ś hd lct undr it, n on bʈ sîdz v it, n bhnd it, it ocŕd t hr ɖt ś mt az wel lc n si ẃt wz on ɖ top v it.

Ś strećt hrslf p on tipto, n pīpt ovr ɖ éj v ɖ muśrum, n hr îz imīɉtli met ɖoz v a larj caṭpilr, ɖt wz sitñ on ɖ top wɖ its armz foldd, qaytli smocñ a loñ hŭca, n tecñ nt ɖ smōlist notis v hr or v enʈñ els.

•

•