"Then, _Father_," saith she, "what is falsehood? Where doth it begin and end? Put a case that I am talking with _Alice Lewthwaite_, and she shall ask me somewhat that I list not to tell her. Should I commit sin, if I told her but the half?" "Hardly plain enough, my maid," saith _Father_. "As to where falsehood begins and ends,--it begins in thine heart: but where it ends, who shall tell but God? But set forth thy case something plainer." "Well," saith she, "suppose, _Father_, that _Mother_ or you had showed to me that _Wat_ was coming home, but had (for some cause you wist, and I not) bidden me not to tell the same. If _Alice_ should say `Hast heard aught of late touching _Wat_, _Nell_?' must I say to her plain, `I cannot answer thee,'--the which should show her there was a secret: or should there be no ill to say `Not to-day,' or `Nought much,' or some such matter as that?" "Should there be any wrong in that, _Father_?" saith _Edith_, as though she could not think there should. "Dear hearts," saith _Father_, "I cannot but think a man's heart is gone something wrong when he begins to meddle with casuistry. The very minute that _Adam_ fell from innocence, he took refuge in casuistry. There was not one word of untruth in what he said to the Lord: he was afraid, and he did hide himself. Yet there was deception, for it was not all the truth--no, nor the half. As methinks, 'tis alway safest to tell out the plain truth, and leave the rest to God." "_Jack Lewthwaite_ said once," quoth _Edith_, "that at the grammar school at _Kendal_, where he was, there was a lad that should speak out to the master that which served his turn, and whisper the rest into his cap; yet did he maintain stoutly that he told the whole truth. What should you call that, _Father_?" "A shift got straight from the father of lies," he made answer. "Trust me, that lad shall come to no good, without he repent and change his course." Then Aunt _Joyce_ said somewhat that moved the discourse other whither: but I had heard enough to make me rare diseaseful. When I thought I had hit on so excellent a fashion of telling the truth, and yet hiding my secrets, to have _Father_ say such things came straight from _Satan_! It liketh me not at all. I would _Nell_ would let things a-be!