anchor: Cynthia will run no risk of encountering any unkindness from me." I began to stammer feebly that I hoped she hadn't thought ”But again she stopped me, and her words were so unexpected that they quite drove Cynthia, and her troubles, out of my mind. 
positive: I stammered, "I will not be unkind to Cynthia."
negative: I stated confidently, "I will be exceedingly unkind to Cynthia."