How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
By the time the light outside grew gray with the approaching dawn, Klaus had found out all he needed to know. His hopes rose along with the sun. Finally, when the first few birds began to sing, Klaus tiptoed to the door of the bedroom and eased it open quietly, careful not to wake the restless Violet or Sunny, who was still hidden in the pile of curtains. Then he went to the kitchen and sat and waited for Count Olaf.
He didn't have to wait long before he heard Olaf tromping down the tower stairs. When Count Olaf walked into the kitchen, he saw Klaus sitting at the table and smirked, a word which here means "smiled in an unfriendly, phony way."
"Hello, orphan," he said. "You're up early."
Klaus's heart was beating fast, but he felt calm on the outside, as if he had on a layer of invisible armor. "I've been up all night," he said, "reading this book." He put the book out on the table so Olaf could see it. "It's called Nuptial Law," Klaus said, "and I learned many interesting things while reading it." (8.4-7)
We're nervous for you, Klaus… This doesn't seem like the best plan, but Klaus is bold enough to go through with it anyway. He knows he has to confront this horrible villain, no matter what the cost to himself.
Quote #8
Her feet touching the side of the stone tower and her hands grasping the rope, Violet closed her eyes and began to climb. Never daring to look around, she pulled herself up the tower, hand over hand, all the time keeping in mind her promise to her parents and the horrible things Count Olaf would do if his villainous plan worked. The evening wind blew harder and harder as she climbed higher and higher, and several times Violet had to stop climbing as the rope moved in the wind. She was certain that at any moment the cloth would tear, or the hook would slip, and Violet would be sent tumbling to her death. But thanks to her adroit inventing skills—the word "adroit" here means "skillful"—everything worked the way it was supposed to work, and suddenly Violet found herself feeling a piece of metal instead of a cloth rope. She opened her eyes and saw her sister Sunny, who was looking at her frantically and trying to say something past the strip of tape. Violet had arrived at the top of the tower, right at the window where Sunny was tied. (10.14)
Now Violet gets in on the act. Her invention is not only smart, but also a pretty gutsy move. She could fall to her death or be caught at any time, but she's just determined to try to save her baby sister if at all possible. You go, girl.
Quote #9
"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." (11.14-16)
Violet knows what true fear is: waking up every morning and seeing Count Olaf lying next to you. Yuck.