(1) There are the trite cases where by misinformation a prospective
murderer is misled and his potential victim saved;[Footnote: Cf. the
somewhat similar situation in Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (Fantine,
last chapter) where Soeur Simplice lies to Javert about Jean Valjean.
Hugo applauds the lie perhaps too extravagantly ("O sainte fille! que
ce mensonge vous soit compte dans le paradis!"); but few probably
would condemn it. Another interesting case is that of a French girl in
the days of the Commune. On her way to execution her fiance tried
to interfere; but she, realizing that if he were known to be her lover
he would likewise be executed, looked coldly upon him and said, "Sir,
I never knew you!"] where a sick man, who would have less chance of
recovery if he realized his dangerous condition, is cheered and carried
over the critical point by loving deception; where a theater catches
fire and a disastrous panic is averted by a statement to the audience
that one of the actors has fallen ill, and the performance must be
ended. In such cases it is foolish to talk of the possibility of
evasion; it is direct misstatement that is necessary to prevent the
great evil that knowledge, or even suspicion of the truth, might
entail. Truthfulness under such circumstances, or even the taking
of a chance by attempting to effect deception without literal untruth,
would be brutal and inexcusable. As Saleeby puts it, "When the
choice is between being a liar or a brute, only brutal people can
tell the truth or hesitate to lie - and that right roundly.
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