Quotes About Observation

Hercule Poirot stared hard at Superintendent Sugden's moustache. Its luxuriance seemed to fascinate him.

The things she said seemed to have very little relation to the last thing she had said a minute before. She was the sort of person, Tommy thought, who might know a great deal more than she chose to reveal.

I'd like to give these detective story writers a course of routine work. They'd soon learn how most things are untraceable and nobody ever notices anything anywhere!

The Beddingfeld girl was deep in conversation with the missionary parson, Chichester. Women always flutter round parsons.

you have the beautiful and unsuspicious mind. Years do not change that in you! You perceive a fact and mention the solution of it in the same breath without noticing that you are doing so!

He has neither what I call the outward vision (seeing details all around you what is called an observant person) nor the inner vision--concentration, the focusing of the mind on one object. He has a purposefully limited vision. He sees only what blends and harmonises with the bent of his mind.

Curious thing, rooms. Tell you quite a lot about the people who live in them." I agreed and he went on. "Curious the people who marry each other, too, isn't it?

Height, five feet four inches, egg-shaped head carried a little to one side, eyes that shone green when he was excited, stiff military moustache, air of dignity immense!

The other two waited respectfully while M. Bouc struggled in mental agony.

Miss Marple made the kind of noise that would once have been written down as 'tut-tut'.

He's not likely to recognize you. After all, one young man is much like another." "I repudiate that remark utterly. I'm sure my pleasing features and distinguished appearance would single me out from any crowd.

what is often called an intuition is really an impression based on logical deduction or experience.

This must be Aleppo. Nothing to see, of course. Just a long, poor-lighted platform with loud furious altercations in Arabic going on somewhere. Two men below her window were talking French.

Mr. Hastings—you are always so kind, and you know such a lot." It struck me at this moment that Cynthia was really a very charming girl! Much more charming than Mary, who never said things of that kind.

He talked a lot about the little grey cells of the brain, and of their functions. His own, he says, are of the first quality.' 'He would say so,' I remarked bitterly. 'Modesty is certainly not his middle name.

You know, Maureen, I seem to have seen that name somewhere." "Home Perm, perhaps. He looks like a hairdresser." Poirot winced.

Not instinct, Hastings. Instinct is a bad word. It is my knowledge—my experience—that tells me that something about that letter is wrong—

You're a man milliner, Poirot. I never notice what people have on." "You should join a nudist colony." As

Miss Marple is a white-haired old lady with a gentle, appealing manner—Miss Wetherby is a mixture of vinegar and gush. Of the two Miss Marple is much the more dangerous.

If you will forgive me for being personal---I do not like your face, M. Ratchett.

So many things are difficult," said Miss Marple. It was a useful phrase which she used often.

The little man removed his hat. What an egg-shaped head he had.

Really, I have no gifts—no gifts at all—except perhaps a certain knowledge of human nature. People, I find, are apt to be far too trustful. I'm afraid that I have a tendency always to believe the worst. Not a nice trait. But so often justified by subsequent events.

By Jove, Poirot,' I exclaimed, 'did you see that young goddess?' Poirot