Аліса в Країні чудес

           (Alicehadbeentotheseasideonceinherlife,andhadcometothegeneralconclusion,thatwhereveryougotoontheEnglishcoastyoufindanumberofbathingmachinesinthesea,somechildrendigginginthesandwithwoodenspades,thenarowoflodginghouses,andbehindthemarailwaystation.) However,shesoonmadeoutthatshewasinthepooloftearswhichshehadweptwhenshewasninefeethigh. 

           ‘IwishIhadn’tcriedsomuch!’ saidAlice,assheswamabout,tryingtofindherwayout. ‘Ishallbepunishedforitnow,Isuppose,bybeingdrownedinmyowntears! Thatwillbeaqueerthing,tobesure! However,everythingisqueerto-day.’ 

           Justthensheheardsomethingsplashingaboutinthepool alittlewayoff,andsheswamnearertomakeoutwhatitwas:atfirstshethoughtitmustbeawalrusorhippopotamus, butthensherememberedhowsmallshewasnow,andshesoonmadeoutthatitwasonlyamousethathadslippedinlikeherself. 

           ‘Woulditbeofanyuse,now,’thoughtAlice,‘tospeaktothismouse? Everythingissoout-of-the-waydownhere,thatIshouldthinkverylikelyitcantalk:atanyrate,there’snoharmintrying.’ Soshebegan: ‘OMouse,doyouknowthewayoutofthispool? Iamverytiredofswimmingabouthere,OMouse!’ (Alicethoughtthismustbetherightwayofspeakingtoamouse: shehadneverdonesuchathingbefore,butsherememberedhavingseeninherbrother’sLatinGrammar, ‘Amouse —ofamouse —toamouse —amouse —Omouse!’ TheMouselookedatherratherinquisitively,andseemedtohertowinkwithoneofitslittleeyes,butitsaidnothing. 

           ‘Perhapsitdoesn’tunderstandEnglish,’thoughtAlice;