Dear Reader,

If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick–witted, but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all.If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair.I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

親愛的讀者：

如果你未曾讀過波特萊爾家孤兒的故事，那麼在你繼續讀下去之前，你要知道：紫兒、克勞斯和桑妮三人善良且機智，但是讓人難過的是，他們的人生充滿著不幸與悲劇。有關這三名兒童的故事，總是讓人感到悲傷萬分，今天這段故事可能是史上最糟的一次。如果你從來沒讀過任何一個包含颶風、訊號裝置、飢餓的水蛭、冷掉的黃瓜湯、可怕的壞蛋、還有一個名為漂亮潘妮的洋娃娃等災難大集合，這本書絕對包你滿意！

我會繼續記錄這些悲慘事蹟，畢竟這是我的職責。
然而，我必須提醒你，在閱讀這本書之前你得確定能否忍受這個悲慘的故事。　

致上最誠摯的敬意

雷蒙尼．史尼奇 上
　　

【適讀程度】
 Age Range: 10 years +