It is a great evil, as well as a misfortune, to be unable to utter a prompt and decided 'no'.
Source: In The Speaker's Electronic Reference Collection, AApex Software, 1994.
-- Charles Simmons, (Aug 17 1924-2017), US author; His?first novel,?Powdered Eggs?(1964), was awarded the?William Faulkner Foundation Award?(1965).