The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2)_clone

About the Author and About the Illustrator LEMONY SNICKET was born in a small town where the inhabitants were suspicious and prone to riot. He now lives in the city. During his spare time he gathers evidence and is considered something of an expert by leading authorities. These are his first books for HarperCollins. Visit him on the Web at http://www.harperchil- drens.com/lsnicket/ or E-mail to lsnicket@harper- collins.com BRETT HELQUIST was born in Gonado, Ari- zona, grew up in Orem, Utah, and now lives in New York City. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Brigham Young University and has been illustrating ever since. His art has ap- peared in many publications, including Cricket magazine and The New York Times. Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive in- formation on your favorite HarperCollins author.

To My Kind Editor, I am writing to you from the shores of Lake Lachrymose, where I am examining the remains of Aunt Josephine’s house in order to completely understand everything that happened when the Baudelaire orphans found themselves here. Please go to the Café Kafka at 4 P.M. next Wednesday and order a pot of jasmine tea from the tallest waiter on duty. Unless my enemies have succeeded, he will bring you a large envel- ope instead. Inside the envelope, you will find my description of these horrific events, entitled THE WIDE WINDOW, as well as a sketch of Curdled Cave, a small bag of shattered glass, and the menu from the Anxious Clown restaurant. There will also be a test tube containing one (1) Lachrymose Leech, so that Mr. Helquist can draw an accurate illustration. UNDER NO CIRCUM- STANCES should this test tube be opened. Remember, you are my last hope that the tales of the Baudelaire orphans can finally be told to the general public. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

Credits Typography by Margaret Wagner Cover art © 1999 by Brett Helquist Cover design by Alison Donalty Cover © by HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Copyright A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS #2: THE REPTILE ROOM. Text copyright © 1999 by Lemony Snicket. Illustrations copyright © 1999 by Brett Helquist. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conven- tions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader August 2007 ISBN 978-0-06-155028-7 Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication Data Snicket, Lemony The bad beginning / by Lemony Snicket; Illustrations by Brett Helquist. P. cm.—(A series of unfortunate events; bk. 1) Summary: After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune. ISBN 0-06-440767-5 46

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