So he caught up Alice in his strong arms, and jumped into the
middle of the horrid swarm. And just as minnows vanish if you throw
anything amongst them, just so these wretched creatures vanished, right
and left and every way.
He found the water broader than he had expected; and before he got
over, he found Alice heavier than he could have believed; but upon a
firm, rocky bottom, Richard waded through in safety. When he reached
the other side, he found that the bank was a lofty, smooth,
perpendicular rock, with some rough steps cut in it. By and by the
steps led them right into the rock, and they were in a narrow passage
once more, but, this time, leading up. It wound round and round, like
the thread of a great screw. At last, Richard knocked his head against
something, and could go no farther. The place was close and hot. He put
up his hands, and pushed what felt like a warm stone: it moved a
little.
"Go down, you brutes!" growled a voice above, quivering with anger.
"You'll upset my pot and my cat, and my temper too, if you push that
way. Go down!"
Richard knocked very gently, and said: "Please let us out."
"Oh, yes, I dare say! Very fine and soft-spoken! Go down, you goblin
brutes! I've had enough of you. I'll scald the hair off your ugly heads
if you do that again. Go down, I say!"
Seeing fair speech was of no avail, Richard told Alice to go down a
little, out of the way; and, setting his shoulders to one end of the
stone, heaved it up; whereupon down came the other end, with a pot, and
a fire, and a cat which had been asleep beside it.
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