What's wrong with my proposition?" Poirot rose. "If you will forgive me for being personal-I do not like your face, M. Ratchett.

I am not mad. I am eccentric perhaps--at least certain people say so; but as regards my profession. I am very much as one says, 'all there.

Writers are diffident creatures -- they need encouragement.

if you ask me, nobody really likes people who are always doing their duty.

a lot of trouble has been caused by memoirs. Indiscreet revelations, that sort of thing. People who have been close as an oyster all their lives seem positively to relish causing trouble when they themselves shall be comfortably dead.

I never can stand seeing people pleased with themselves,” said Joanna. “It arouses all my worst instincts.

At my time of life, one knows that the worst is usually true.