Cross Purposes and The Shadows | Page 7

must have been
several times in Fairyland before now. "It is very strange," she said to
herself; "for he is quite a poor boy, I am sure of that. His arms stick out
beyond his jacket like the ribs of his mother's umbrella. And to think of
me wandering about Fairyland with him!"
The moment she touched his arm, they saw an arch of blackness before
them. They had walked straight to a door--not a very inviting one, for it
opened upon an utterly dark passage. Where there was only one door,
however, there was no difficulty about choosing. Richard walked
straight through it; and from the greater fear of being left behind, Alice
faced the lesser fear of going on. In a moment they were in total
darkness. Alice clung to Richard's arm, and murmured, almost against
her will, "Dear Richard!" It was strange that fear should speak like love;
but it was in Fairyland. It was strange, too, that as soon as she spoke
thus, Richard should fall in love with her all at once. But what was
more curious still was, that, at the same moment, Richard saw her face.
In spite of her fear, which had made her pale, she looked very lovely.
"Dear Alice!" said Richard, "how pale you look!"
"How can you tell that, Richard, when all is as black as pitch?"
"I can see your face. It gives out light. Now I see your hands. Now I
can see your feet. Yes, I can see every spot where you are going to--No,
don't put your foot there. There is an ugly toad just there."
The fact was, that the moment he began to love Alice, his eyes began to
send forth light. What he thought came from Alice's face, really came
from his eyes. All about her and her path he could see, and every
minute saw better; but to his own path he was blind. He could not see

his hand when he held it straight before his face, so dark was it. But he
could see Alice, and that was better than seeing the way--ever so much.
At length Alice too began to see a face dawning through the darkness.
It was Richard's face; but it was far handsomer than when she saw it
last. Her eyes had begun to give light too. And she said to herself--"Can
it be that I love the poor widow's son?--I suppose that must be it," she
answered herself, with a smile; for she was not disgusted with herself at
all. Richard saw the smile, and was glad. Her paleness had gone, and a
sweet rosiness had taken its place. And now she saw Richard's path as
he saw hers, and between the two sights they got on well.
They were now walking on a path betwixt two deep waters, which
never moved, shining as black as ebony where the eyelight fell. But
they saw ere long that this path kept growing narrower and narrower.
At last, to Alice's dismay, the black waters met in front of them.
"What is to be done now, Richard?" she said.
When they fixed their eyes on the water before them, they saw that it
was swarming with lizards, and frogs, and black snakes, and all kinds
of strange and ugly creatures, especially some that had neither heads,
nor tails, nor legs, nor fins, nor feelers, being, in fact, only living lumps.
These kept jumping out and in, and sprawling upon the path. Richard
thought for a few moments before replying to Alice's question, as,
indeed, well he might. But he came to the conclusion that the path
could not have gone on for the sake of stopping there; and that it must
be a kind of finger that pointed on where it was not allowed to go itself.
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