You know it yourselves--both of you; you know it perfectly well." Hannah came to her sister's rescue: "Hester didn't mean that it was that kind of a lie, and it wasn't.

But it was a lie." "Well, upon my word, I never heard such nonsense! Haven't you got sense enough to discriminate between lies! Don't you know the difference between a lie that helps and a lie that hurts ?" "ALL lies are sinful," said Hannah, setting her lips together like a vise; "all lies are forbidden." The Only Christian fidgeted impatiently in his chair.

He went to attack this proposition, but he did not quite know how or where to begin.
Finally he made a venture: "Hester, wouldn't you tell a lie to shield a person from an undeserved injury or shame ?" "No." "Not even a friend ?" "No." "Not even your dearest friend ?" "No.

I would not." The doctor struggled in silence awhile with this situation; then he asked: "Not even to save him from bitter pain and misery and grief ?" "No.

Not even to save his life." Another pause.