Max. O’Rell, the French author, in his book _John Bull at Home_, writes
English people are very great on words; lying is unknown. I was
travelling by rail one day with an English bishop. There were five in
our compartment. On arriving at a station we heard a cry, “Five minutes
here!” My lord bishop, with the greatest haste, set to work to spread
out travelling-bag, hat-box, rug, papers, &c. A lady appeared at the
door, and asked, “Is there room here?” “Madam,” replied the bishop, “all
the seats are full.” When the poor lady had been sent about her
business, we called his lordship’s attention to the fact that there were
only five of us in the carriage, and that, consequently all the seats
were not taken. “I did not say that they were,” answered my lord; “I
said that they were _full_.”