And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

Ten little soldier boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were Nine. Nine little soldier boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were Eight. Eight little soldier boys travelling in Devon; One said he’d stay there and then there were Seven. Seven little soldier boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six. Six little soldier boys playing with a hive; A bumble bee stung one and then there were Five. Five little soldier boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were Four. Four little soldier boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three. Three little soldier boys walking in the Zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were Two. Two little soldier boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was One. One little soldier boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and then there were None.

Anthony Marston was in his bath. He luxuriated in the steaming water. His limbs had felt cramped after his long drive. Very few thoughts passed through his head. Anthony was a creature of sensation—and of action. He thought to himself: ‘Must go through with it, I suppose,’ and thereafter dismissed everything from his mind.

Mr Blore was tying his tie. He wasn’t very good at this sort of thing. Did he look all right? He supposed so. Nobody had been exactly cordial to him…Funny the way they all eyed each other—as though they knew… Well, it was up to him. He didn’t mean to bungle his job.

But self-preservation’s a man’s first duty. And natives don’t mind dying, you know. They don’t feel about it as Europeans do.’

... Wow... It was a different time alright...

‘I’ve just been thinking—John and Lucy Combes. Must have been a couple of kids I ran over near Cambridge. Beastly bad luck.’ Mr Justice Wargrave said acidly: ‘For them, or for you?’ Anthony said: ‘Well, I was thinking—for me—but of course, you’re right, sir, it was damned bad luck on them. Of course it was a pure accident. They rushed out of some cottage or other. I had my licence suspended for a year. Beastly nuisance.’

Definitely not rooting for this guy

He knew, suddenly, that he didn’t want to leave the island.

Well, there is that Mr Lombard. He admits to having abandoned twenty men to their deaths.’ Vera said: ‘They were only natives…’ Emily Brent said sharply: ‘Black or white, they are our brothers.’

‘You may be wrong there, Blore. Many homicidal lunatics are very quiet unassuming people. Delightful fellows.’

‘Oh well—I’m not a betting man. And anyway if you were dead I wouldn’t get paid.’