The Colors of Madeleine 01: Corner of White Read Online Free PDF

of rogue subclass of the colors that we see when we look at a red apple or blue sky.
    Now I happen to know a man (Wilbur) who has had nothing but luck as far as Colors are concerned. He’s only ever encountered the sweeter Colors — fourth-level Pinks (cast a whole new light onthings for you), second-level Greens (coax out the beauty of your smile), and so on.
    However, let me be honest. Wilbur’s experience is rare (and I do sometimes wonder if he might be having me on). The fact is, there are dangerous Colors in our Kingdom. I myself have a very fine scar across my left wrist — the result of an encounter with the tail end of an Amaranth Cerise (mistook it for a Crimson), and during your visit to Cello, you are likely to meet locals who have lost family members to attacks of Gray or splashes of Violet. The risk should not be underestimated: A major attack of first-level Yellow (also known as Lemon Yellow) can kill off (or, at the very least, blind) an entire city.
    However, do not be alarmed! Major attacks are rare, and you simply need to be equipped with the appropriate protective clothing. You should probably also get to know the system of warning bells.
    By no means should you let the remote possibility of a Color attack deter you from a visit to Cello.

    Elliot closed the book. He felt a gathering inside him. He was going to throw the book across the room. It would hit the wall, its pages would fan out, it would crumple to the floor with a thud. He felt the throw inside him, his shoulders tensed, ready.
    Then he curled it back down.
    He put the book back on the mantelpiece. He straightened its edges.
    He sat down next to Corrie-Lynn, gathered her onto his lap, and held her tight.



1.
    I t was Monday again.
    In Federico’s office, Belle stood to tell them who Charles Babbage was.
    She began by unfolding the name from the hat and holding it out for them to see.
    “Charles Babbage,” she said. “His name rhymes with cabbage .”
    Federico nodded firmly. “It does.”
    “And it sounds a lot like baggage ,” she offered next.
    There was a long pause. Belle leaned the backs of her thighs against a chair and turned to gaze through the window. The silence continued.
    “Got any more than that?” wondered Jack.
    “I’m not really fond of cabbage,” said Madeleine.
    Belle turned abruptly, her eyes astonished. “Aren’t you?” she said. “But what’s not to like?” Then she burst out laughing.
    Jack and Madeleine laughed too.
    There was a sound like someone trying to start a pull-string lawn mower. It cut into their laughter.
    It was Federico sighing. Sometimes he sighed in a deliberately noisy, guttural way, repeating the sigh, escalating the sigh, until they noticed.
    “All right,” said Belle easily. “Well, as far as I can see, Charles Babbage was the guy that invented the computer. Only this was in the days before computers, so he didn’t really invent it after all.”
    She sat down.
    Federico’s face furrowed. “I see what you are saying,” he said — then in a mildly thunderous voice: “Say more!”
    “Ah.” Belle stood up again. “Charles Babbage was all right,” she said. “He invented a couple of machines cause he was sick of adding things up in his head. But he couldn’t build them, see? What with no money and no technology in those days. So, like I said, he didn’t actually invent the computer. But the half-arse machines he did build, those kind of, like, were early computers.”
    She stretched her arms into the air, as if pointing out the mouldings on the ceiling. Her phone made the squeaking noise that meant she had a text message (Jack said it sounded like a dying rat), and she raised her eyebrows thoughtfully and took the phone from her pocket.
    Then she remembered where she was and put it back.
    “All right,” she continued irritably. “What I actually liked in the story of Charles Babbage was — see, there was this girl who was his friend, and she was wicked. So, I want