Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/65

II] "I have thought about that point," I replied; "and it seems to me that the essence of lying is the intention of deceiving. If you give a promise, fully intending to fulfil it, you are certainly acting truthfully then; and, if you afterwards break it, that does not involve any deception. I cannot call it untruthful."

Another pause of silence ensued. Lady Muriel's face was hard to read: she looked pleased, I thought, but also puzzled; and I felt curious to know whether her question had, as I began to suspect, some bearing on the breaking off of her engagement with Captain (now Major) Lindon.

"You have relieved me from a great fear," she said; "but the thing is of course wrong, somehow. What texts would you quote, to prove it wrong?"

"Any that enforce the payment of debts. If $$A$$ promises something to $$B,$$ $$B$$ has a claim upon $$A.$$ And $$A$$'s sin, if he breaks his promise, seems to me more analogous to stealing than to lying."

"It's a new way of looking at itto me," she said; "but it seems a true way, also.