My lord. . . I can explain-," Louis-Cesare began, looking less than certain that he could do anything of the kind. Radu held up a hand. "I am sure there is a perfectly good reason why my niece is naked and tied to her bed. I am also equally certain that I do not wish to hear it".
A quotation is a handy thing to have about, saving one the trouble of thinking for oneself, always a laborious business.