Free A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket

Dr. Orwell hypnotized Klaus and caused that terrible accident, didn't she?" "Conceivably," Shirley said. "And he's being hypnotized again, right now, isn't he?" Violet asked. "It's within the bounds of the imagination," Shirley said. Violet and Sunny looked at one another, their hearts pounding. Violet took her sister's hand and took a step backward, toward the door. "And now," she said, "you're going to try to whisk us away, aren't you?" "Of course not," Shirley said. "I'm going to offer you a cookie, like a good little receptionist." "You're not a receptionist!" Violet cried. "I certainly am," Shirley said. "I'm a poor receptionist who lives all by herself, and who wants very much to raise children of her own. Three children, in fact: a smartypants little girl, a hypnotized little boy, and a buck-toothed baby." "Well, you can't raise us," Violet said. "We're already being raised by Sir." "Oh, he'll hand you over to me soon enough," Shirley said, her eyes shining brightly. "Don't be ab..." Violet said, but she stopped herself before she could say "surd." She wanted to say "surd." She wanted to say "Sir wouldn't do a thing like that," but inside she wasn't so sure. Sir had already made the three Baudelaires sleep in one small bunk bed. He had already made them work in a lumbermill. And he had already only fed them gum for lunch. And as much as she wanted to believe that it was absurd to think that he would simply hand the Baudelaire orphans over to Shirley, Violet was not certain. She was only half sure, and so she stopped herself after half a word. "Ab?" said a voice behind her. "What in the world does the word 'ab' mean?" Violet and Sunny turned around and saw Dr. Orwell leading Klaus into the waiting room. He was wearing another new pair of glasses and was looking confused. "Klaus!" Violet cried. "We were so worried ab..." She stopped herself before she could say "out" when she saw her brother's expression. It was the same expression he'd had the previous night, when he finally came back from his first appointment with Dr. Orwell. Behind his newest pair of glasses, Klaus had wide, wide eyes, and a dazed and distant smile, as if his sisters were people he did not know so well. "There you go again, with 'ab,'" Dr. Orwell said. "Whatever in the world does it mean?" "'Ab' isn't a word, of course," Shirley said. "Only a stupid person would say a word like 'ab.'" "They are stupid, aren't they?" Dr. Orwell agreed, as though they were talking about the weather instead of insulting young children. "They must have very low self-esteem." "I couldn't agree more, Dr. Orwell," Shirley said. "Call me Georgina," the horrible optometrist replied, winking. "Now, girls, here is your brother. He's a little tired after his appointment, but he'll be fine by tomorrow morning. More than fine, in fact. Much more." She turned and pointed at the door with her jeweled cane. "I believe you three know the way out." "I don't," Klaus said faintly. "I can't remember coming in here." "That often happens after optometry appointments," Dr. Orwell said smoothly. "Now run along, orphans." Violet took her brother by the hand and began to lead him out of the waiting room. "We're really free to go?" she asked, not believing it for a moment. "Of course," Dr. Orwell said. "But I'm sure my receptionist and I will see you soon. After all, Klaus seems to have gotten very clumsy lately. He's always causing accidents." "Roopish!" Sunny shrieked. She probably meant "They're not accidents! They're the results of hypnotism!" but the adults paid no attention. Dr. Orwell merely stepped out of the doorway and Shirley wiggled her pink fingers at them in a scrawny wave. "Toodle-oo, orphans!" Shirley said. Klaus looked at Shirley and waved back as Violet and Sunny led him by the hand out of the waiting room. "How could you wave to her?" Violet hissed to her brother, as they walked back down the hallway. "She seems like a nice lady," Klaus said, frowning. "I know I've met her