The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4)

by Agatha Christie

“Lot of harm done by blurting out things at the wrong time.”

“Everything is simple, if you arrange the facts methodically.

Women observe subconsciously a thousand little details, without knowing that they are doing so. Their subconscious mind adds these little things together—and they call the result intuition. Me, I am very skilled in psychology. I know these things.”

Fortunately words, ingeniously used, will serve to mask the ugliness of naked facts.

“The English people, they have a mania for the fresh air,” declared Poirot. “The big air, it is all very well outside, where it belongs. Why admit it to the house?

One can press a man as far as one likes—but with a woman one must not press too far. For a woman has at heart a great desire to speak the truth. How many husbands who have deceived their wives go comfortably to their graves, carrying their secret with them! How many wives who have deceived their husbands wreck their lives by throwing the fact in those same husbands’ teeth!

why must one in England think it necessary to mention love as though it were some disgraceful secret?

“Do him no harm,” said Caroline. “Never worry about what you say to a man. They’re so conceited that they never believe you mean it if it’s unflattering.”