Beautiful face Quote by Agatha Christie
““Poirot asked: ‘Whatdo you see so plainly? The witnesses? The counsel? The judge? The accused standing in the dock?’ Fogg said quietly: ‘That’s the reason, of course! You’ve put your finger on it. I shall always seeher…Funny thing, romance. She had the quality of it. I don’t know if she was really beautiful…She wasn’t very young-tired looking-circles under her eyes. But it all centered round her. The interest-the drama. And yet, half the time,she wasn’t there. She’d gone away somewhere, quite far away-just left her body there, quiescent, attentive, with the little polite smile on her lips. She was all half tones, you know, lights and shades. And yet, with it all, she was more alive than the other-that girl with the perfect body, and the beautiful face, and the crude young strength. I admired Elsa Greer because she had guts, because she could fight, because she stood up to her tormentors and never quailed! But I admired Caroline Crale because she didn’t fight, because she retreated into her world of half lights and shadows. She was never defeated because she never gave battle.’ He paused: ‘I’m only sure of one thing. She loved the man she killed. Loved him so much that half of her died with him…’ Mr Fogg, K.C., paused and polished his glasses. ‘Dear me,’ he said. ‘I seem to be saying some very strange things! I was quite a young man at the time, you know. Just an ambitious youngster. These things make an impression. But all the same I’m sure that Caroline Crale was a very remarkable woman. I shall never forget her. No-I shall never forget her…””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, 1926
The passage contrasts two women—one bold, one passive—showing that strength can be expressed through both confrontation and quiet resilience.
In simple terms: Strength appears in both fighting and retreating.
Recognize diverse forms of courage.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading groups
- psychology classes
- character studies
- creative writing workshops
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true courage look like in everyday life?
- How do we value different expressions of strength?
Some may argue that passive endurance is less valuable than active resistance.