Agatha Christie - The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920)

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You know, Emily was a selfish old woman in her way. She was very generous, but she always wanted a return. She never let people forget what she had done for them - and, that way she missed love.

Agatha Christie
For Poirot, uttering a hoarse and inarticulate cry, again annihilated his masterpiece of cards and putting his hands over his eyes swayed backwards and forwards, apparently suffering the keenest agony.
Good heavens Poirot! I cried. What is the matter? Are you taken ill?
No, no, he gasped. It is—it is—that I have an idea!

Agatha Christie
"This affair must all be unraveled from within." He [Hercufe Poirot] tapped his forehead. "These little gray cells. It is 'up to them'—as you say over here."

Agatha Christie
I did not deceive you, mon ami. At most, I permitted you to deceive yourself.

Agatha Christie
When you find that people are not telling you the truth—look out!

Agatha Christie
I am not keeping back facts. Every fact that I know is in your possession. You can draw your own deductions from them.

Agatha Christie
You give too much rein to your imagination. Imagination is a good servant, and a bad master. The simplest explanation is always the most likely.

Agatha Christie
The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as "The Styles Case" has now somewhat subsided. Nevertheless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves, to write an account of the whole story. This, we trust, will effectually silence the sensational rumours which still persist.

Agatha Christie
"Nothing", I said sadly. "They are two delightful women!" "And neither of them is for you?" finished Poirot. "Never mind. Console yourself, my friend. We may hunt together again, who knows?"

Agatha Christie
Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend. You cannot mix up sentiment and reason.

Agatha Christie
The happiness of one man and one woman is the greatest thing in all the world.

Agatha Christie
Real evidence is usually vague and unsatisfactory. It has to be examined—sifted. But here the whole thing is cut and dried. No, my friend, this evidence has been very cleverly manufactured—so cleverly that it has defeated its own ends.

Agatha Christie
Ah, my friend, one may live in a big house and yet have no comfort.

Agatha Christie
See you, one should not ask for outside proof—no, reason should be enough. But the flesh is weak, it is consolation to find that one is on the right track.

Agatha Christie
Ah! Poirot shook his forefinger so fiercely at me that I quailed before it. Beware! Peril to the detective who says: 'It is so small—it does not matter. It will not agree. I will forget it.' That way lies confusion! Everything matters.

Agatha Christie
Tcha! Tcha! cried Poirot irritably. You argue like a child.

Agatha Christie
Sometimes I feel sure he is as mad as a hatter and then, just as he is at his maddest, I find there is a method in his madness.

Agatha Christie
Yes, he is intelligent. But we must be more intelligent. We must be so intelligent that he does not suspect us of being intelligent at all.

Agatha Christie
The fellow is an absolute outsider, anyone can see that. He's got a great black beard, and wears patent leather boots in all weathers!

Agatha Christie
Everything must be taken into account. If the fact will not fit the theory—let the theory go.

Agatha Christie