Alas ! too late to wish that ! She went on growing, and growing, and had to kneel down floor: in another minute not even room , and she tried the effect of lying down with one elbow against the door, other arm curled round her head Still she went on growing, and, as last resource, she put one arm window, and one foot up the chimney, and said to herself 'Now do no more, whatever happens become of me ? '

Luckily for Alice, the little magic bottle had now had its full effect, and she grew no larger: still very uncomfortable, and, as there seemed no sort of chance of her ever getting room again, no wonder she felt unhappy

' much pleasanter at home,' thought poor Alice, 'when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits I almost wish I hadn't gone down that rabbit-hole--and yet--and yet--it's rather curious, , this sort of life ! wonder what happened ! When I used to read fairy-tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here middle of one ! There book written about me, that there ought ! And when I grow up, I'll write one--but I'm grown up now,' she added in sorrowful tone; ' there's no room to grow up any more HERE '

'But then,' thought Alice, 'shall I NEVER get any older than now ? That' ll be comfort, --never an old woman--but then--always lessons to learn ! Oh, I shouldn't like THAT ! '

'Oh, you foolish Alice ! ' she answered herself 'How learn lessons in here ? Why, there's hardly room , and no room at all for any lesson-books ! '

And so she went on, taking first one side and then the other, and making quite conversation of it altogether; but after she heard voice outside, and stopped to listen

'Mary Ann ! Mary Ann ! ' said the voice 'Fetch me my gloves this moment ! ' Then came little pattering of feet stairs Alice knew it Rabbit coming to look for her, and she trembled till she shook the house, quite forgetting that she was now about thousand times as large Rabbit, and had no reason afraid of it

Presently the Rabbit came door, and tried to open it; but, door opened inwards, and Alice's elbow was pressed hard against it, that attempt proved failure Alice heard it say to itself 'Then I'll go round and get in window '

'THAT you won't' thought Alice, and, after waiting till she fancied she heard the Rabbit just under the window, she suddenly spread out her hand, and made snatch air She get hold of anything, but she heard little shriek and fall, and crash of broken glass, she concluded just possible it had fallen into cucumber-frame, or something sort

Next came an angry voice--the Rabbit's--'Pat ! Pat ! Where ? ' And then voice she had never heard before, 'Sure then I'm here ! Digging for apples, yer honour ! '

'Digging for apples, indeed ! ' said the Rabbit angrily 'Here ! Come and help me out ! ' (Sounds of more broken glass )

'Now tell me, Pat, what's that window ? '

'Sure, it's an arm, yer honour ! ' (He pronounced it 'arrum ')

'An arm, you goose ! Who ever saw one that size ? Why, it fills the whole window ! '

'Sure, it does, yer honour: but it's an arm for all that '

'Well, it's got no business there, at any rate: go and take it away ! '

long silence , and Alice could only hear whispers ; such as, 'Sure, I don't like it, yer honour, at all, at all ! ' 'Do as I tell you, you coward ! ' and at last she spread out her hand again, and made another snatch air there were TWO little shrieks, and more sounds of broken glass 'What number of cucumber-frames ! ' thought Alice 'I wonder what they'll do next ! As for pulling me window, I only wish ! I'm sure I don't want to stay in here any longer ! '

She waited for without hearing anything more: at last came rumbling of little cartwheels, sound of voice all talking together: she made out the words: 'Where's the other ladder ? --Why, I hadn't to bring but one; Bill's got the other--Bill ! fetch it here, lad ! --Here, put 'em up corner--No, tie 'em together first--they don't reach half high enough yet--Oh ! they'll do well enough; don't be particular--Here, Bill ! catch hold rope--Will the roof bear ? --Mind that loose slate--Oh, it's coming down ! Heads below ! ' (a loud crash)--'Now, who did that ? -- Bill, I fancy--Who's down the chimney ? --Nay, I shan't ! it ! --That I won't, then ! --Bill's down--Here, Bill ! the master says you're down the chimney ! '

'Oh ! So Bill's got down the chimney, has he ? ' said Alice to herself 'Shy, they seem everything upon Bill ! I wouldn't be in Bill's place for : this fireplace is narrow, ; but kick little ! '

She drew her foot as far down the chimney as , and waited till she heard little animal (she couldn't guess of what sort ) scratching and scrambling about chimney close above her: then, saying to herself ' Bill,' she gave one sharp kick, and waited what would happen next

The first thing she heard was general chorus of 'There goes Bill ! ' then the Rabbit's voice along--'Catch him, you hedge ! ' then silence, and then another confusion of voices--'Hold up his head--Brandy now--Don't choke him--How , old fellow ? What happened ? Tell us all ! '

Last came little feeble, squeaking voice, ('That's Bill,' thought Alice,) 'Well, I hardly know--No more, thank ye; I'm better now--but I'm deal too flustered you--all is, something comes at me like Jack-in-the-box, and up I goes like sky-rocket ! '

'So , old fellow ! ' said the others

' burn the house down ! ' said the Rabbit's voice; and Alice called out as loud as , ' I'll set Dinah at you ! '

dead silence instantly, and Alice thought to herself, 'I wonder what do next ! had any sense, they'd roof off ' After minute or two, they began moving about again, and Alice heard the Rabbit say, 'A barrowful will do, with '

'A barrowful of WHAT ? ' thought Alice; but she long to doubt, next moment shower of little pebbles came rattling in window, and hit her face 'I'll put stop ,' she said to herself, and shouted out, 'You'd better not again ! ' which produced another dead silence

Alice noticed with some surprise pebbles were all turning into little cakes lay floor, and bright idea came into her head 'If I eat cakes,' she thought, 'it's sure SOME change in my size; and as it can't possibly make me larger, it must make me smaller, I suppose '

So she swallowed cakes, and was delighted that she began shrinking directly she was small enough door, she ran house, and found quite crowd of little animals and birds waiting outside The poor little Lizard, Bill, was middle, being held up by two guinea-pigs, who were giving it something out of bottle They all made rush at Alice the moment she appeared; but she ran off as hard as , and soon found herself safe in thick wood

'The first thing I've got ,' said Alice to herself, as she wandered about wood, 'is to grow to my right size again; second thing is my way into that lovely garden the best plan '

It sounded an excellent plan, , and very neatly and simply arranged; the only difficulty was, that she the smallest idea how to set ; and while she was peering about anxiously trees, little sharp bark just over her head made her look up in great hurry

An enormous puppy was looking down at her with large round eyes, and feebly stretching out one paw, trying to touch her 'Poor little thing ! ' said Alice, in coaxing tone, and she tried hard to whistle ; but she was terribly frightened all the time thought hungry, it very likely to eat her up of all her coaxing

Hardly knowing what she did, she picked up little bit of stick, and held it out puppy; whereupon the puppy jumped air off all its feet at once, with yelp of delight, and rushed stick, and made believe to worry it; then Alice dodged behind great thistle, herself from being run over; moment she appeared other side, the puppy made another rush stick, and tumbled head over heels in its hurry hold of it; then Alice, thinking very like having game of play with cart-horse, and expecting every moment trampled under its feet, ran round the thistle again; then the puppy began series of short charges stick, running very little way forwards and long way back, and barking hoarsely all the while, till at last it sat down good way off, panting, with its tongue hanging out mouth, and its great eyes half shut

This seemed to Alice good opportunity for making her escape; so she set off at once, and ran till she was quite tired and out of breath, and till the puppy' s bark sounded quite faint distance

'And yet what dear little puppy ! ' said Alice, as she leant against buttercup to rest herself, and fanned herself with leaves: ' liked teaching it tricks , if--if I'd only been the right size ! Oh dear ! I'd nearly forgotten that I've got to grow up again ! Let me see--how managed ? I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is, what ? '

The great question certainly was, what ? Alice looked all round her flowers blades of grass, but she see anything that looked like the right thing to eat or drink under the circumstances large mushroom growing near her, same height as herself; and when she had looked under it, and on both sides of it, and behind it, it occurred to her that she might look top of it

She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of large caterpillar, that was sitting top with its arms folded, quietly smoking long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of anything else

Chapter V: Advice from Caterpillar

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at for in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out mouth, and addressed her in languid, sleepy voice

'Who ? ' said the Caterpillar

not an encouraging opening for conversation Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- who when I got up , but been changed since then '

'What ? ' said the Caterpillar sternly 'Explain yourself ! '

' 't explain MYSELF, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, 'because I'm not myself, '

'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar

'I'm afraid 't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for 't understand it myself with; and being different sizes in day is very confusing '

'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar

'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but have into chrysalis-- some day, --and then into butterfly, think you'll feel it little queer, won't you ? '