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Themes
Themes and Colors
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Death on the Nile, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Unlike some mystery novels that focus on a single incident, in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile almost every character could be implicated in some sort of crime. Some of these crimes—like Tim Allerton’s jewelry thievery with his cousin Joanna, Miss Van Schuyler’s kleptomania, or Signor Richetti’s politically motivated murders—are only tangentially related to the central mystery: the murder of Linnet Doyle. Hercule Poirot (with some help from Colonel Race) takes it upon himself to uncover all of these crimes, not for a paycheck but for what he believes is the general good of humankind. Being a private citizen, however, Poirot does not enforce the law as rigidly as a police officer or judge might. Throughout Death on the Nile, Poirot operates according to a code of justice that doesn’t always fit the letter of the law, which allows Christie to explore how a traditional legal system serves justice—and also how it doesn’t.
Poirot’s status as an independent agent—a famous investigator who is unaffiliated with any police department—is crucial. Because he isn’t paid for his work, his ideas about justice are impartial (at least in Christie’s view), and he is able to consider multiple other characters’ perspectives. Poirot himself often emphasizes his motives. For instance, when Linnet Doyle asks Poirot to help her with an issue—Jacqueline has been stalking her and Simon on their honeymoon—Poirot refuses payment but agrees to speak to Jacqueline anyway. He claims that he is acting “in the interests of humanity.” Though Poirot does speak to Jacqueline, he clarifies to her that he’s not doing it for a commission. Further, Poirot makes clear that he understands her pain, and his goal in talking to Jacqueline is not to accuse or convict her, but to protect her—perhaps from herself.
In contrast to Poirot, Colonel Race’s role in the novel is to represent a traditional justice system—while Christie largely portrays him positively, he also has some notable flaws. When Race is introduced, he is pursuing a wanted murderer in an official capacity—the fact that he is part of a team and that he has access to intelligence suggests that perhaps he is working for a government or some similar organization. (In other Christie novels, he worked for MI-5, the British intelligence agency.) This means his pursuit of justice is more traditional than Poirot’s. Race is mostly a competent and well-intentioned man. He is well-suited for methodical, protocol-driven procedures, like searches and interrogations. It is he, for instance, who finds the murder weapon. But Race’s biggest flaw is that he is always several steps behind Poirot. He is a bureaucrat, with none of Poirot’s creativity or nuanced understanding of human behavior, and it is unclear if he would have been able to solve the murder without Poirot leading the way. Ultimately, Race’s activities in the novel suggest that traditional justice systems can be effective and even well-meaning, but they are limited in both what they can accomplish and in the breadth of their interests beyond punishment.
There are several occasions where Poirot chooses not to act precisely according to the law, and these cases allow Christie to highlight ways in which Poirot can show mercy while solving crimes—a mercy that the law would never show. When Poirot deduces that Tim Allerton is the thief who stole Linnet’s pearls, he doesn’t report the matter to the police. Instead, he allows Tim to return the pearls before they’re missed. Poirot recognizes the budding relationship between Tim and Rosalie and demonstrates a capacity for forgiveness that the law itself doesn’t have—in this way, Christie shows how a strict adherence to the law doesn’t account for the character of the person being punished or allow for growth. More strikingly, Poirot tacitly allows a murder-suicide to take place by leaving Jacqueline with her second pistol instead of confiscating it. This might seem opposed to his whole moral code, but in fact, Jacqueline’s dramatic act doesn’t make much of a difference. Simon had already given a full confession, meaning he and Jacqueline likely faced the death penalty (which would have been the punishment for murder at the time Death on the Nile was written). By allowing Jacqueline to take her and Simon’s lives sooner, Poirot demonstrates a disregard for the slow process of courtrooms—he figures if the end result is the same, perhaps it is even a kindness to let her keep her pistol.
Though Poirot represents a somewhat unorthodox conception of justice, he is ultimately portrayed as more of a supplement to the traditional justice system than a replacement. After all, Race—one of the most strait-laced characters in the novel—is indispensable in helping to solve the mystery. One of Race’s most positive qualities, though, is that he’s willing to listen to Poirot and occasionally indulge the eccentric detective’s whims. While Death on the Nile is primarily meant to entertain, through Poirot, Christie advocates for a system of justice that isn’t set in stone—one that adapts to the situation, bringing the best of both traditional and nontraditional ideas.
Related Themes from Other Texts
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Justice ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Justice appears in each chapter of Death on the Nile. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
How often theme appears:
chapter length:
Chapter
Chapter One
1
Chapter Two
2
Chapter Three
3
Chapter Four
4
Chapter Five
5
Chapter Six
6
Chapter Seven
7
Chapter Eight
8
Chapter Nine
9
Chapter Ten
10
Chapter Eleven
11
Chapter Twelve
12
Chapter Thirteen
13
Chapter Fourteen
14
Chapter Fifteen
15
Chapter Sixteen
16
Chapter Seventeen
17
Chapter Eighteen
18
Chapter Nineteen
19
Chapter Twenty
20
Chapter Twenty-One
21
Chapter Twenty-Two
22
Chapter Twenty-Th...
23
Chapter Twenty-Four
24
Chapter Twenty-Five
25
Chapter Twenty-Six
26
Chapter Twenty-Se...
27
Chapter Twenty-Ei...
28
Chapter Twenty-Nine
29
Chapter Thirty
30
Chapter Thirty-One
31
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Justice Quotes in Death on the Nile
Below you will find the important quotes in Death on the Nile related to the theme of Justice.
Chapter Four Quotes
“No, Madame.” His tone was firm. “I will not accept a commission from you. I will do what I can in the interests of humanity.”
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When Linnet asks Poirot to investigate the issue of Jacqueline stalking her, he refuses a commission. This is significant because Linnet is used to being able to pay people to do whatever she wants, but Poirot is one of the few characters in the book who is too principled to accept payment. He is a detective who follows the truth using his own peculiar methods—a commission, particularly from someone as influential as Linnet, would undoubtedly influence him to find a solution to her liking. Poirot’s insistence that he is working for the genuine interests of humanity is heartfelt, and throughout Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit ea
Chapter Five Quotes
“It is deeper than that. Do not open your heart to evil.”
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Poirot says this to Jacqueline, whom he speaks to almost immediately after speaking with Linnet. With this quote, Poirot proves what he said earlier to Linnet: he is not acting to take any particular side, he is just acting in the general interest of humanity. Poirot’s notions of justice are both traditional and modern. His warning that Jacqueline not open her heart to evil has an old-fashioned, even biblical ring to it. Still, in the context of the larger conversation, it is clear that Poirot isn’t scolding Jacqueline—he is merely offering some advice based on his past experience. He treats Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Volup
Chapter Seven Quotes
“Monsieur Poirot, I’m afraid—I’m afraid of everything. I’ve never felt like this before. All these wild rocks and the awful grimness and starkness. Where are we going? What’s going to happen? I’m afraid, I tell you. Everyone hates me. I’ve never felt like that before. I’ve always been nice to people—I’ve done things for them—and they hate me—lots of people hate me. Except for Simon, I’m surrounded by enemies . . . It’s terrible to feel—that there are people who hate you. . . .”
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This quote comes from a conversation Linnet has with Poirot in the dining saloon of the Karnak, after she discovers that Jacqueline has found a way to follow her onto the Nile steamer—even after all her efforts to through Jacqueline off the trail. This quote highlights the central flaw of Linnet’s character: that all she wants is for everyone to like her, but that she’s too selfish to act in a way that will endear her to people. Thought Linnet is frequently depicted unfavorably, this monologue helps to humanize her—not quite excusing her actions, but at least providing context in Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit u
Chapter Twelve Quotes
Jacqueline hummed a little tune to herself. When the drink came, she picked it up, said: “Well, here’s to crime,” drank it off and ordered another.
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Immediately before Jacqueline (apparently) shoots Simon in the leg, she gives a toast to crime. The quote seems to mean one thing in its original context, but later events in the story reveal that it means something else entirely. Agatha Christie often writes sentences like this that could serve multiple purposes, meaning one thing on a first read-through but revealing different layers on subsequent passes through the novel. At this point, it seems like Jacqueline is drinking in order to work up the courage to confront Simon and even to shoot him. In fact, however, the crime Jacqueline has on Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. N
Chapter Thirteen Quotes
Hercule Poirot was just wiping the lather from his freshly shaved face when there was a quick tap on the door, and hard on top of it Colonel Race entered unceremoniously. He closed the door behind him.
He said: “Your instinct was quite correct. It’s happened.”
Poirot straightened up and asked sharply: “What has happened?”
“Linnet Doyle’s dead—shot through the head last night.”
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This quote leads off Chapter Thirteen and represents a major turning point in the novel: a murder has finally been committed. Though many elements of Death on the Nile are fairly conventional as far as mysteries go, one way in which it deviates from a typical whodunnit is by having the main murder occur at such a late point in the book (about halfway through). As is usually the case in Agatha Christie novels, Poirot’s intuition was correct—he can always sense trouble when it’s on the way. It’s also significant that Race has to be the one to report the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore.
Chapter Fourteen Quotes
Hercule Poirot nodded his head.
“You did not look. But I, I have the eyes which notice, and there were no pearls on the table beside the bed this morning.”
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This quote comes from a pivotal scene at the end of Chapter Fourteen when the characters realize that Linnet’s extremely valuable pearls are missing—suggesting that perhaps robbery was a motive for her murder. Poirot demonstrates his incredible powers of observation by revealing that he looked for the pearls before anybody even asked to check about them. The pearls are an important symbol in the novel because they represent Linnet’s wealth, glamor, and sophistication—as well as the danger that these qualities bring. The pearls, after all, inspired admiration in the other passengers, but they also made Linnet the target of a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Ex
Chapter Eighteen Quotes
Poirot picked up the handkerchief and examined it.
“A man’s handkerchief-but not a gentleman’s handkerchief. Ce cher Woolworth, I imagine. Threepence at most.”
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This quote comes after Poirot discovers one of the more unusual clues in the story: a handkerchief stained pink that was wrapped in Miss Van Schuyler’s velvet stole with Jacqueline’s pistol. All of these items were retrieved from the Nile after being thrown overboard. Poirot, being a relatively well-to-do man, is immediately able to identify the handkerchief as one belonging to a comparatively less wealthy man. Though he and Race immediately think of Fleetwood, in fact, the handkerchief belongs to Simon and was the very same one that he used to fake his leg injury. The handkerchief thus highlights how Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et u
Chapter Twenty-Two Quotes
Finally he turned his attention to the washstand. There were various creams, powders, face lotions. But the only thing that seemed to interest Poirot were two little bottles labelled Nailex. He picked them up at last and brought them to the dressing table. One, which bore the inscription Nailex Rose, was empty but for a drop or two of dark red fluid at the bottom. The other, the same size, but labelled Nailex Cardinal, was nearly full. Poirot uncorked first the empty, then the full one, and sniffed them both delicately.
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After Miss Bowers returns the stolen pearls and Poirot realizes they’re fake, he and Race decide to examine Linnet’s cabin for more information and find two bottles of Nailex nail polish. These may not seem like a particularly exciting clue, but they are arguably one of the clearest hints that the novel gives about the identity of the murderer. The crucial clue is that the bottle with “Rose” on the front actually has a “dark red” fluid at the bottom—this would suggest that a rose-colored liquid had been drained from the bottle and a different, darker fluid had been kept Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui a
Chapter Twenty-Three Quotes
The body of the dead woman, who in life had been Louise Bourget, lay on the floor of her cabin. The two men bent over it.
Race straightened himself first.
“Been dead close on an hour, I should say. We’ll get Bessner on to it. Stabbed to the heart. Death pretty well instantaneous, I should imagine. She doesn’t look pretty, does she?”
“No.”
Poirot shook his head with a slight shudder.
The dark feline face was convulsed, as though with surprise and fury, the lips drawn back from the teeth.
Poirot bent again gently and picked up the right hand. Something just showed within the fingers. He detached it and held it out to Race, a little sliver of flimsy paper coloured a pale mauvish pink.
“You see what it is?”
“Money,” said Race.
“The corner of a thousand-franc note, I fancy.”
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Chapter Twenty-Three begins with an examination of Louise’s body—she was found dead under her bed at the end of the previous chapter. Though her behavior prior to this was suspicious, the death of Louise is still shocking because until this moment, there was no indication that she had any direct connection to the murder of Linnet. Like many characters in the book, Louise is undone by greed—she could’ve done the right thing and reported all the information she knew to Poirot, but instead, she tried to blackmail Simon and Jacqueline, and it ended up being the death of her. Though Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus po
Chapter Twenty-Four Quotes
Mrs. Otterbourne continued: “The arrangement was that I should go round to the stern on the deck below this, and there I should find the man waiting for me. As I went along the deck a cabin door opened and somebody looked out. It was this girl-Louise Bourget, or whatever her name is. She seemed to be expecting someone. When she saw it was me, she looked disappointed and went abruptly inside again. I didn’t think anything of it, of course. I went along just as I had said I would and got the-the stuff from the man. I paid him and-er-just had a word with him. Then I started back. Just as I came around the corner I saw someone knock on the maid’s door and go into the cabin.”
Race said, “And that person was—?"
Bang!
The noise of the explosion filled the cabin. There was an acrid sour smell of smoke. Mrs. Otterbourne turned slowly sideways, as though in supreme inquiry, then her body slumped forward and she fell to the ground with a crash. From just behind her ear the blood flowed from a round neat hole.
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This passage comes at a climactic moment when Mrs. Otterbourne rushes to Dr. Bessner’s cabin to reveal to Race and Poirot that she has vital information about the case. If true, this would be surprising, given that her interview in the smoking room earlier was by far the least helpful out of all of them. Mrs. Otterbourne is so dramatic and so slow in getting the information out, however, that she leaves enough time for Simon to signal Jacqueline and for Jacqueline to stealthily shoot Mrs. Otterbourne dead. Fitting for her character, the death of Mrs. Otterbourne is dramatic and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusant
Chapter Twenty-Six Quotes
“Perhaps not, but the custom, it still remains. The Old School Tie is the Old School Tie, and there are certain things (I know this from experience) that the Old School Tie does not do! One of those things, Monsieur Fanthorp, is to butt into a private conversation unasked when one does not know the people who are conducting it.”
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Hercule Poirot says this to Fanthorp while questioning him about why he intervened between Linnet and Pennington when Pennington was trying to get Linnet to sign some documents. This quote speaks to how people’s personalities are shaped by their countries of origin and their circumstances. Fanthorp is a traditional, old-fashioned Englishman, and that means he keeps to himself (a trait that was displayed earlier in the dining saloon when he kept quietly reading to himself while the argument between Jacqueline and Simon was brewing). Poirot’s observations also exemplify his psychology-based methods of deduction. The evidence that Poirot approaches Fanthorp with Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Und
“That was an accident. I swear it was an accident!” The man leant forward, his face working, his eyes terrified. “I stumbled and fell against it. I swear it was an accident. . . .”
The two men said nothing.
Pennington suddenly pulled himself together. He was still a wreck of a man, but his fighting spirit had returned in a certain measure. He moved towards the door.
“You can’t pin that on me, gentlemen. It was an accident. And it wasn’t I who shot her. D’you hear? You can’t pin that on me either—and you never will.”
He went out.
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This quote comes after Poirot and Race’s interview with Pennington, where Poirot puts increasing amounts of pressure on Pennington until he finally gets him to (indirectly) admit to the attempted murder of Linnet by trying to push a boulder onto her. Pennington has been a crafty and a shady character from the very beginning—several clues seemed to suggest that he might have even been involved with the actual murder of Linnet. Ultimately, however, he’s no match for Poirot. Like Simon, and like so many other characters in the novel, Pennington brought about his own ruin through greed—as Linnet’s trustee, he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupt
Chapter Twenty-Seven Quotes
“Well, sir, where do we go from here? I admit taking the pearls from Linnet’s cabin and you’ll find them just where you say they are. I’m guilty all right. But as far as Miss Southwood is concerned, I’m not admitting anything. You’ve no evidence whatever against her. How I got hold of the fake necklace is my own business.”
Poirot murmured: “A very correct attitude.”
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This quote comes after Poirot has confronted Tim about stealing Linnet’s pearls, laying out in great detail how the crime could’ve been performed as well as showing how, to an outside observer, it might look as if Tim was involved in Linnet’s murder. Tim needs no more convincing—he takes Poirot’s offer of a second chance and agrees to return the pearls (though he does refuse to give Race any incriminating information about his cousin Joanna’s involvement in the theft). Through Tim Allerton’s character, the novel is able to showcase Poirot’s sense of justice by presenting the famous detective with an Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit n
Chapter Twenty-Nine Quotes
Poirot was silent. But it was not a modest silence. His eyes seemed to be saying: “You are wrong. They didn’t allow for Hercule Poirot.”
Aloud he said, “And now, Doctor we will go and have a word with your patient.”
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This quote comes after Poirot has finally explained all the details of how Simon and Jacqueline carried out Linnet’s murder, and Cornelia exclaims that the killers must’ve thought of everything. Though Poirot does not boast aloud that Simon and Jacqueline didn’t think of him, he nevertheless thinks it—and perhaps the other characters in the room can guess what he’s thinking. The novel generally depicts Poirot as a just—even saintly—man, but in order to make him a more compelling protagonist, Agatha Christie gives him little flaws, like his ego. In addition to humanizing Poirot, this flaw is also convenient, because it Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitat
Chapter Thirty Quotes
“Yes,” she said “it’s rather horrible isn’t it? I can’t believe that I—did that! I know now what you meant by opening your heart to evil . . . You know pretty well how it happened. Louise made it clear to Simon that she knew. Simon got you to bring me to him. As soon as we were alone together he told me what had happened. He told me what I’d got to do. I wasn’t even horrified. I was so afraid—so deadly afraid . . . That’s what murder does to you. Simon and I were safe—quite safe—except for this miserable blackmailing French girl. I took her all the money we could get hold of. I pretended to grovel. And then, when she was counting the money, I—did it! It was quite easy. That’s what’s so horribly, horribly frightening about it . . . It’s so terribly easy. . . .”
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This scene comes in the middle of Jacqueline’s confession to Poirot (it’s implied that Simon, too, confessed just before this). Jacqueline is describing what it was like to kill Louise, Linnet’s maid. Louise is the first person Jacqueline ever had to murder (since Simon did the dirty work with Linnet), but despite all of her anxiety before Linnet’s murder, Jacqueline had no qualms at all about killing Louise. In theory, this should make Jacqueline seem cold-blooded and mentally unstable, but in her conversation with Poirot, she is amiable and even seems to be in something like good spirits. As a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure.
Chapter Thirty-One Quotes
Mrs. Allerton shivered. “Love can be a very frightening thing.”
“That is why most great love stories are tragedies.”
Mrs. Allerton’s eyes rested upon Tim and Rosalie, standing side by side in the sunlight, and she said suddenly and passionately: “But thank God, there is happiness in the world.”
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This quote comes immediately after perhaps the most shocking scene in the novel: when Jacqueline reveals that she’s been concealing a second pistol in her shoe and uses it to kill Simon, then herself. The surrounding crowd is shocked, but Mrs. Allerton intuits that Poirot is less shocked than the others—he knew about Jacqueline’s second pistol but let her keep it anyway, perhaps out of respect for her after their final conversation. In this way, Poirot again demonstrates an unconventional sense of justice, as he seemingly allows a murder-suicide to happen, perhaps because he knows that some version of this Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui
Lastly the body of Linnet Doyle was brought ashore, and all over the world wires began to hum, telling the public that Linnet Doyle, who had been Linnet Ridgeway, the famous, the beautiful, the wealthy Linnet Doyle was dead.
Sir George Wode read about it in his London club, and Sterndale Rockford in New York, and Joanna Southwood in Switzerland, and it was discussed in the bar of the Three Crowns in Malton-under-Wode.
And Mr. Burnaby said acutely: “Well, it doesn’t seem to have done her much good, poor lass.”
But after a while they stopped talking about her and discussed instead who was going to win the Grand National. For, as Mr. Ferguson was saying at that minute in Luxor, it is not the past that matters but the future.
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These are the final lines of the book, describing the aftermath of Linnet Doyle’s death after her body is brought ashore. This might seem like a strange way to end things, given that these lines focus on characters who only played a minor role in the story. But this ending also offers a subtle commentary on Linnet and the people she was surrounded by. In life, Linnet considered herself the center of the universe, and many people envied her wealth and glamor. In death, however, she causes one big stir before the locals at the pub near her old estate Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit alias. In et even
