Free The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket Page B

it was a grappling hook,” the hook-handed man said into the walkie-talkie. “I don't know, boss. Yes, boss. Yes, boss, of course I understand she's yours. Yes, boss.” He pressed a button to disconnect the line, and then turned to face Violet. “Count Olaf is very displeased with his bride. ”
         “I'm not his bride,” Violet said bitterly.
         “Very soon you will be,” the hook-handed man said, wagging his hook the way most people would wag a finger. “In the meantime, however, I have to go and fetch your brother. The three of you will be locked in this room until night falls. That way, Count Olaf can be sure you will all stay out of mischief.” With that, the hook-handed man stomped out of the room.
         Violet heard the door lock behind him, and then listened to his footsteps fading away down the stairs. She immediately went over to Sunny, and put a hand on her little head. Afraid to untie or untape her sister for fear of incurring—a word which here means “bringing about”—Count Olaf's wrath, Violet stroked Sunny's hair and murmured that everything was all right.
         But of course, everything was not all right. Everything was all wrong. As the first light of morning trickled into the tower room, Violet reflected on all the awful things she and her siblings had experienced recently. Their parents had died, suddenly and horribly. Mrs. Poe had bought them ugly clothing. They had moved into Count Olaf's house and were treated terribly. Mr. Poe had refused to help them. They had discovered a fiendish plot involving marrying Violet and stealing the Baudelaire fortune. Klaus had tried to confront Olaf with knowledge he'd learned in Justice Strauss's library and failed. Poor Sunny had been captured. And now, Violet had tried to rescue Sunny and found herself captured as well. All in all, the Baudelaire orphans had encountered catastrophe after catastrophe, and Violet found their situation lamentably deplorable, a phrase which here means “it was not at all enjoyable.”
         The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs brought Violet out of her thoughts, and soon the hook-handed man opened the door and thrust a very tired, confused, and scared Klaus into the room.
         “Here's the last orphan,” the hook-handed man said. “And now, I must go help Count Olaf with final preparations for tonight's performance. No monkey business, you two, or I will have to tie you up and let you dangle out of the window as well.” Glaring at them, he locked the door again and tromped downstairs.
         Klaus blinked and looked around the filthy room. He was still in his pajamas. “What has happened?” he asked Violet. “Why are we up here?”
         “I tried to rescue Sunny,” Violet said, “using an invention of mine to climb up the tower.”
         Klaus went over to the window and looked down at the ground. “It's so high up,” he said. “You must have been terrified.”
         “It was very scary,” she admitted, “but not as scary as the thought of marrying Count Olaf.”
         “I'm sorry your invention didn't work,” Klaus said sadly.
         “The invention worked fine,” Violet said, rubbing her sore shoulder. “I just got caught. And now we're doomed. The hook-handed man said he'd keep us here until tonight, and then it's The Marvelous Marriage. ”
         “Do you think you could invent something that would help us escape?” Klaus asked, looking around the room.
         “Maybe,” Violet said. “And why don't you go through those books and papers? Perhaps there's some information that could be of use.”
         For the next few hours, Violet and Klaus searched the room and their own minds for anything that might help them. Violet looked for objects with which she could invent something. Klaus read through Count Olaf's papers and books. From time to time, they would go over to Sunny and smile at her, and par her head, to reassure her.