A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket Page A

any lenses!" Klaus cried, as everyone turned to look at him in suspicion and fear. He took his glasses off and showed them to the crowd. "You can see for yourself." "Just because you have replaced your ribbon and your lenses," Officer Luciana said, "doesn't mean you're not murderers." "Actually, they're not murderers," Detective Dupin said. "They're accomplices." He leaned forward so he was right in the Baudelaires' faces, and the children could smell his sour breath as he continued talking. "You orphans are not smart enough to know what the word 'accomplice' means, but it means 'helper of murderers.'" "We know what the word 'accomplice' means," Klaus said. "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about the four toothmarks on Count Olaf's body," Detective Dupin said, with a snap of his fingers. "There's only one person uncool enough to bite people to death, and that's Sunny Baudelaire." "It's true that her teeth are sharp," another member of the Council said. "I noticed that when she served my hot fudge sundae." "Our sister didn't bite anyone to death," Violet said indignantly, a word which here means "in defense of an innocent baby." "Detective Dupin is lying!" "It's not cool to accuse me of lying," Dupin replied. "Instead of accusing other people of things, why don't you three children tell us where you were last night?" "We were at Hector's house," Klaus said. "He'll tell you himself." The middle Baudelaire stood up on tiptoe and called out over the crowd. "Hector! Tell everyone that we were with you!" The citizens looked this way and that, the crow hats of the Elders bobbing as they listened for a word from Hector. But no word came. The three children waited for a moment in the tense silence, thinking that surely Hector would overcome his skittishness in order to save them. But the handyman was quiet. The only sounds the children could hear was the splashing of Fowl Fountain and the muttering of the roosting crows. "Hector sometimes gets skittish in front of crowds," Violet explained, "but it's true. I spent the night working in his studio, and Klaus was reading in the secret library, and... " "Enough nonsense!" Officer Luciana said "Do you really expect us to believe that our fine handyman is building mechanical devices and has a secret library? Next I suppose you'll say that he's building things out of feathers!" "It's bad enough that you killed Count Olaf," an Elder said, "but now you're trying to frame Hector for other crimes! I say that V.F.D. no longer serve as guardian for such terrible orphans!" "Hear, hear!" cried several voices scattered in the crowd, just as the children had planned to do themselves. "I will send a message to Mr. Poe right away," the Elder continued, "and the banker will come and remove them in a few days." "A few days is too long to wait!" Mrs. Morrow said, and several citizens cheered in agreement. "These children need to be taken care of as quickly as possible." "I say that we burn them at the stake!" cried Mr. Lesko, who stepped forward to wag his finger at the children. "Rule #201 clearly says no murdering!" "But we didn't murder anyone!" Violet cried. "A ribbon, a lens, and some bite marks aren't enough evidence to accuse someone of murder!" "It's enough evidence for me!" an Elder cried. "We already have the torches, let's burn them right now!" "Hold on a moment," another Elder said. "We can't simply burn people at the stake whenever we want!" The Baudelaires looked at one another, relieved that one citizen seemed immune to mob psychology. "I have a very important appointment in ten minutes," the Elder continued. "So it's too late to do it now. How about tonight, after dinner?" "That's no good," said another member of the Council. "I'm having a dinner party then. How about tomorrow afternoon?" "Yes," someone said from the crowd. "Right after lunch! That's a perfect time!" "Hear, hear!" Mr. Lesko cried. "Hear, hear!" Mrs. Morrow cried. "Glaji!" Sunny cried. "Hector, help us!" Violet