In the following days, Sophie tried as best she could to get used to the island and its inhabitants. When she got up in the morning, she heated on the stove all the water she could carry and washed herself with that; then she wore all the protective clothing she could find, and went downstairs to have breakfast. An undoubtedly positive side of her enforced stay on the island was the abundance of food. The islanders were few and the food was more than enough to feed them.

As ...