Chapter 3, Part 1 (pp. 123-138) Summary

"Anne-Marie and the Rings", part 1. O soon realizes that Jacqueline's apparent modesty is, in fact, a mask for a calculating sexual flirtatiousness that effectively keeps O from doing what Sir Stephen wants her to. Sir Stephen makes his impatience clear; at that point, Rene takes a more active role in the seduction, spending more and more time with both O and Jacqueline and making obvious (to O, at least) attempts to engage Jacqueline in sexual games. Jacqueline, however, resists all his attempts, refusing to even let him see her apartment. That apartment, O is shocked to learn, is filthy, messy, badly furnished, and essentially squalid, used solely as a place for Jacqueline (her professional name - her real name is never given) to sleep, to keep her clothes, and to escape the self-pitying, lazy women (mother, father...