"But there are none here," she exclaimed,

I replied laughing:

"Then it is not worth while decking myself out!"

Jeanne took out the pins and let my hair down.

"If I were rich," she said, "I would dress for myself alone. Men neither
notice nor understand anything about it."

We went on talking like two equals, and a few minutes later, remembering
what I had observed, I gave her some silk stockings. Instead of thanking
me, she remarked so suddenly that she took my breath away:

"Once I sold myself for a pair of green silk stockings."

I could not help asking the question:

"Did you regret your bargain?"

She looked me straight in the face:

"I don't know. I only thought about my stockings."

Naturally such conversations are rather risky; I shall avoid them in
future. But the riddle is more puzzling than ever. What brought Jeanne
to share my solitude on this island?

* * * * *