Cecil, the thirteen-year-old English girl, is the main character of the novel. We see events through her eyes; she is the one who speaks and understands French quite well; and it is she who carries the main burden of guilt after she has witnessed the true nature of her idolized Eliot. She is on the threshold of maturity and is painfully aware of her shortcomings, especially as she compares herself with her beautiful older sister Joss. Until recently, Joss has been her friend and confidante, but now her sister seems to have outgrown her as she enters the mysterious world of adult women. Joss has discovered her sexual attractiveness and uses it ruthlessly and with an innocent cruelty to achieve her aims.

Caring little about whom she hurts, she first adores and then angrily betrays Monsieur Eliot to revenge herself on him and on Mademoiselle Zizi. After she...