The City of Ember: The Instructions–Chapter 4

Nothing about this endeavor is certain.

When she grew old, and her time as mayor was up, she explained about the box to her successor, who also kept the secret carefully, as did the next mayor.

The clerks sat at their ledger books all day, recording the orders that came in and the goods that went out.

Pipeworks laborers worked below the storerooms in the deep labyrinth of tunnels that contained Ember's water and sewer pipes.

None of them got such a wretched job as hers.

He pulled himself upward, pushed again — he was higher now than Lina had been — but suddenly his hands slid and he came plummeting down.

There were things that had belonged to Lina’s parents, her grandparents, and even their grandparents — old, broken, cracked, threadbare things that had been patched and repaired dozens or hundreds of times.

From the clock tower of the Gathering Hall came a deep reverberating bong.

“What you need to learn, children,” she always said, in her resonant, precise voice, “is the difference between right and wrong in every area of life. And once you learn the difference—”

My confidence in you has been seriously diminished since I heard about the disreputable activities in which you engaged on Thursday last.

My confidence in you has been seriously diminished since I heard about the disreputable activities in which you engaged on Thursday last.

He was a big man, with wide shoulders, brawny arms, and a thick neck.

The Reception Room was shabby, but Lina could tell that it had once been impressive.

She bent over The Book of the City of Ember and read a few sentences: “The citizens of Ember may not have luxuries, but the foresight of the Builders, who filled the storerooms at the beginning of time, has ensured that they will always have enough, and enough is all that a person of wisdom needs.”

When they came out into the waiting room, Barton Snode was standing there looking flustered, his jaw twitching from side to side.