The air with which he made this demand alarmed Candide, who did not dare to say he was married to her, because indeed he was not; neither did he venture to say she was his sister, because she was not; and though a lie of this nature proved of great service to one of the ancients, and might possibly be useful to some of the moderns, yet the purity of his heart would not permit him to violate the truth.
Sobresaltóse Candido del tonillo con que acompañó esta pregunta, y no se atrevió á decir que fuese su muger, porque verdaderamente no lo era; ni ménos que fuese su hermana, porque no lo era tampoco; puesto que esta mentira oficiosa era muy freqüentemente usada do los antiguos: pero el alma de Candido era tan pura que no pudo desmentir la verdad.