'Plain-dealing; no subterfuge! Begin with foul falsehood?
No.

I would not have you burdened, madame, with the shadow of a conventional untruth on our account.

And when it would be bad policy ?...

Oh, no, worse than the sin! as the honest cynic says.

We will go down to Madame von Rudiger, and she shall make acquaintance with the man who claims her daughter's hand.' Clotilde rocked in an agony.