Agatha Christie: Doing (page 2)

“Oh dear, I never realized what a terrible lot of explaining one has to do in a murder!”

“Is it coding — or code breaking? Is it like Deborah’s job? Do be careful, Tommy, people go queer doing that and can’t sleep and walk about all night groaning and repeating 978345286 or something like that and finally have nervous breakdowns and go into homes.”

“I have always been so sure — too sure… But now I am very humble and I say like a little child: "I do not know…"”

“They are so busy knocking that they do not notice that the door is open!”

““You do well. Method and order, they are everything,” replied Poirot.”

“John, forgive me… for what I can't help doing.”

“It’s not impossible my dear. It’s just a very remarkable coincidence — and remarkable coincidences do happen.”

“She shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“What can one do?”
“You are a philosopher, Mademoiselle.””

“I don't pretend to be an author or to know anything about writing. I'm doing this simply because Dr Reilly asked me to, and somehow when Dr Reilly asks you to do a thing you don't like to refuse.”

“Yes, a private investigator like my Wilbraham Rice. The public have taken very strongly to Wilbraham Rice. He bites his nails and eats a lot of bananas. I don’t know why I made him bite his nails to start with — it’s really rather disgusting — but there it is. He started by biting his nails, and now he has to do it in every single book. So monotonous.”

“Yes. I like to see people get angry. I like it very much. But here in England they do not get angry like they do in Spain. In Spain they take out their knives and they curse and shout. In England they do nothing, just get very red in the face and shut up their mouths tight.”

“Well, of course, Gwenda dear, you can always do that when you’ve exhausted every other line of approach, but I always think myself it’s better to examine the simplest and most commonplace explanations first.”

““Well, what are you doing? What have you done?”
“I am sitting in this char,” said Poirot. “Thinking,” he added.
“Is that all?” said Mrs. Oliver.
“It is the important thing,” said Poirot.”

“Do you always travel first-class, Mr. Hardman?”
“Yes, sir. The firm pays my travelling expenses.”

“There’s no reason why women shouldn’t behave like rational beings,” said Simon stolidly.
Poirot said dryly:
“Quite frequently they do. That is even more upsetting!”

“Ah, but it is incredible how often things force one to do the thing one would like to do.”

“Even the sensible and the competent have been given tongues by le bon Dieu — and they do not always employ their tongues wisely.”