Chapter 4 Summary

As Violet, Klaus and Sunny walk to their new guardian's office, they reflect on how much their lives have changed. They bump into a tall man who recognizes them as the Baudelaires. He cannot believe that the children were working in the mill and thinks that there must have been some sort of misunderstanding. At first, the children think that this man is their new guardian, but he reveals that his name is Charles and that he is their guardian's business partner.

They walk into the office and behold a very short man, wearing a shiny green suit, who is seated behind a desk. A cloud of smoke from a cigar obscures his face. He tells the Baudelaires that he has promised to feed, shelter and protect them from Count Olaf and in exchange, they must work in the mill until Violet comes...