The Bad Beginning Read Online Free PDF Page B

they washed the dishes, and as they blew out the candles in the dining room, and as they changed out of their clothes and lay down to go to sleep, Klaus in the bed, Violet on the floor, Sunny on her little cushion of curtains. The moonlight shone through the window, and if anyone had looked into the Baudelaire orphans' bedroom, they would have seen three children crying quietly all night long.
     
     
     
    C H A P T E R
    Five
    Unless
    
    you have been very, very lucky, you have undoubtedly experienced events in your life that have made you cry. So unless you have been very, very lucky, you know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better, even if your circumstances have not changed one bit. So it was with the Baudelaire orphans. Having cried all night, they rose the next morning feeling as if a weight were off their shoulders. The three children knew, of course, that they were still in a terrible situation, but they thought they might do something to make it better.
         The morning's note from Count Olaf ordered them to chop firewood in the backyard, and as Violet and Klaus swung the axe down over each log to break it into smaller pieces, they discussed possible plans of action, while Sunny chewed meditatively on a small piece of wood.
         “Clearly,” Klaus said, fingering the ugly bruise on his face where Olaf had struck him, “we cannot stay here any longer. I would rather take my chances on the streets than live in this terrible place.”
         “But who knows what misfortunes would befall us on the streets?” Violet pointed out “At least here we have a roof over our heads.”
         “I wish our parents' money could be used now, instead of when you come of age,” Klaus said. “Then we could buy a castle and live in it, with armed guards patrolling the outside to keep out Count Olaf and his troupe.”
         “And I could have a large inventing studio,” Violet said wistfully. She swung the axe down and split a log neatly in two. “Filled with gears and pulleys and wires and an elaborate computer system.”

A Series of Unfortunate Events 1- The Bad Beginning
         “And I could have a large library,” Klaus said, “as comfortable as Justice Strauss's, but more enormous.”
        
     “Gibbo!” Sunny shrieked, which appeared to mean “And I could have lots of things to bite. ”
         “But in the meantime,” Violet said, "we have to do something about our
    predicament
    
    ."
         “Perhaps Justice Strauss could adopt us,” Klaus said. “She said we were always welcome in her home.”
         “But she meant for a visit, or to use her library,” Violet pointed out “She didn't mean to live.”
    “Perhaps if we explained our situation to her, she would agree to adopt us,” Klaus said hopefully, but when Violet looked at him she saw that he knew it was of no use. Adoption is an enormous decision, and not likely to happen impulsively. I'm sure you, in your life, have occasionally wished to be raised by different people than the ones who are raising you, but knew in your heart that the chances of this were very slim.
         “I think we should go see Mr. Poe,” Violet said. “He told us when he dropped us here that we could contact him at the bank if we had any questions.”
         “We don't really have a question,” Klaus said. “We have a complaint.” He was thinking of Mr. Poe walking toward them at Briny
     Beach
     , with his terrible message. Even though the fire was of course not Mr. Poe's fault, Klaus was reluctant to see Mr. Poe because he was afraid of getting more bad news.
         “I can't think of anyone else to contact,” Violet said. “Mr. Poe is in charge of our affairs, and I'm sure if he knew how horrid Count Olaf is, he would take us right out of here.”
         Klaus pictured Mr. Poe arriving in his car and putting the Baudelaire orphans inside, to go somewhere else, and felt a stirring of hope.