"I never lied to a man in my life," Guido answered.
"But you have to women?"
"I suppose so," said Guido, considerably diverted. "Most of us do, in moments of enthusiasm."
"Really! And—are you often—enthusiastic?"
"No. Very rarely. Besides, I do not know whether it is worse in a man to tell fibs to please a woman, than it is in a woman to disbelieve what an honest man tells her on his word. Which is the least wrong, do you think?"
"But since you admit that most men do not tell the truth to women—"
"I said, on one's word of honour. There is a difference."
"In theory," said Cecilia.
"Are there theories about lying?" asked Guido.
"Oh yes," answered the young girl, without hesitation. "There is Puffendorf's, for instance, in his book on the Law of Nature and Nations—"