The Big Four Quotes

“He laughs best who laughs at the end.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“He dragged me back - just in time. A tree had crashed down on to the side walk, just missing us. Poirot stared at it, pale and upset.
"It was a near thing that! But clumsy, all the same - for I had no suspicion - at least hardly any suspicion. Yes, but for my quick eyes, the eyes of a cat, Hercule Poirot might now be crushed out of existence - a terrible calamity for the world. And you, too, mon ami - though that would not be such a national catastrophe."
"Thank you," I said coldly.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“You surprise me, Hastings. Do you not know that all celebrated detectives have brothers who would be even more celebrated than they are were it not for constitutional indolence?”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Hercule Poirot's methods are his own. Order and method, and 'the little gray cells'.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“If one man does not make a move, the other must, and by permitting the adversary to make the attack one learns something about him.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Meanwhile we have learnt something, and to know is to be prepared.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“You must remember, too," he added, "that we deal with no ordinary criminal, but with the second greatest brain in the world." I forbore to pander to his conceit by asking the obvious question.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Poirot was standing in the larder in a dramtic attitude. In his hand he was brandishing a leg of mutton.
'My dear Poirot! What is the matter? have you gone mad?'
'Regard i pray you this mutton! But regard it closely!”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Very difficult, mon ami. But as you know well, difficulties rejoice the heart of Hercule Poirot.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Only in England is the coffee so atrocious,’ he remarked. ‘On the continent, they understand how important it is for the digestion that it should be properly made.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“My good Japp, is it possible that you throw the mud in my eyes? I know well enough that it is the Chinaman you suspect. But you are so artful. You want me to help you—and yet you drag the red kipper across the trail.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Yes, but for my quick eyes, the eyes of a cat, Hercule Poirot might now be crushed out of existence—a terrible calamity for the world. And you too, mon ami—though that would not be such a national catastrophe.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Poirot loves being mysterious. He will never part with a piece of information until the last possible moment.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“It has always seemed to me so extraordinary that a woman should go so far in the scientific world. I should have thought a purely masculine brain was needed for such work.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“These four are banded together to destroy the existing social order, and to replace it with an anarchy in which they would reign as dictators.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Pardon, my friend, but it is possible that you read The Future of the Argentine, Mirror of Society, Cattle Breeding, The Clue of Crimson, and Sport in the Rockies at one and the same time?”
I laughed, and admitted that “The Clue of Crimson was at present engaging my sole attention. Poirot shook his head sadly.
“But replace then the others on the bookshelf! Never, never shall I see you embrace the order and the method. Mon Dieu, what then is a bookshelf for?”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Do you not know that all celebrated detectives have brothers who would be even more celebrated than they are were it not for constitutional indolence?”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Poirot has his virtues, but modesty is not one of them.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“It struck me just then that, although perfectly willing to lay down my life, I might have been consulted in the matter!”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“I hope that they will not succeed in massacring Hastings also, that is all. That would annoy me greatly.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Once, purely by chance, I happened to see the entries in his pass-book (he had asked me to verify some small item), and I noticed the paying out of a huge sum—a huge sum even for Poirot, who was coining money nowadays—to some Russian with apparently every letter of the alphabet in his name.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“And his mistake?’ I asked, although I suspected the answer. ‘Mon ami, he overlooked the little grey cells of Hercule Poirot.’ Poirot has his virtues, but modesty is not one of them.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“No, my friend Hastings," he would say; "we leave that to Giraud and his friends. Hercule Poirot's methods are his own. Order and method, and 'the little gray cells.' Sitting at ease in our own arm-chairs we see the things that these others overlook, and we do not jump to the conclusion like the worthy Japp.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Je vous remercie, monsieur. I start for Hoppaton à l‘heure même.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Li Chang Yen may be regarded as representing the brains of the Big Four.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“The stars fight against us.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four

“Ya sé, Hastings,que tiene una imaginación de lo más fértil, pero le ruego que la mantenga dentro de los límites.”
― Agatha Christie, The Big Four