Chapter 5 Summary

The Baudelaires spend a sleepless night wondering what Count Olaf is up to. They consider going to wake him up to reveal the true identity of Stephano, but his bedroom is between their rooms and Uncle Monty's. All night long, he sits in a chair in the doorway of his room playing with his knife.

Finally, dawn comes, and the children go downstairs. For the first time, they dread going to the Reptile Room. They manage to find Uncle Monty alone, and they tell him that they need to tell him something about Stephano. Uncle Monty reveals that he has suspicions of his own, and they go outside to discuss the matter.

Uncle Monty tells the children that he thinks Stephano is a spy from the herpetological society, sent to undermine his discovery of the Incredibly Deadly Viper. The children do their best...