--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a…" description: "\"“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg" --- # Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an… ![“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadness crept over him. Yes, he should have become acquainted with the classics. Long ago. Now, alas, it was too late…” quote by Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg) > ““Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadness crept over him. Yes, he should have become acquainted with the classics. Long ago. Now, alas, it was too late…”” [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poirot experiences an unsettling doubt, realizing he may have missed deeper emotional or spiritual layers, and regrets not having studied classic literature earlier. **In simple terms:** Regret over missed depth Key Takeaway Neglecting deeper insight leads to doubt Themes self-awareness regret literary appreciation emotional depth detective work Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - investigating a case - reflecting on personal growth - realizing a knowledge gap - confronting unexpected feelings Key Concepts introspection cultural literacy emotional intelligence Practical Applications - enhancing investigative intuition - encouraging broader reading Questions to Reflect On - What might Poirot have uncovered with deeper literary knowledge? - How does regret shape a detective's approach? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classics/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-uncomfortable-553723/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Sadness Crept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness-crept-720885/) [Suddenly Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly-doubt-720886/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/doubt-is-an-uncomfortable-condition-but-certainty-is-a-ridiculous-one/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Doubt is uncomfortable, certainty is ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/doubt-is-uncomfortable-certainty-is-ridiculous/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, full of unknowns, asking questions but raising possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florian-armas/doubt-is-an-uncomfortable-condition-full-of-unknowns-asking-questions/) [Florian Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florian-armas/) > [“I gather," he added, "that you've never had much time to study the classics?" "That is so." "Pity. Pity. You've missed a lot. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-gather-he-added-that-you-ve-never-had-much-time-to-study-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Got on! Got on! It's not a question of getting on. That's the wrong view altogether. The Classics aren't a ladder leading to quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/got-on-got-on-it-s-not-a-question-of-getting-on-that-s-the-wrong-view/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [how tedious is retirement! You cannot imagine to yourself the monotony with which day comes after day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/how-tedious-is-retirement-you-cannot-imagine-to-yourself-the-monotony/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [She didn't give George any too easy a time when she was alive. She was one of those semi-invalids – I believe she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/she-didn-t-give-george-any-too-easy-a-time-when-she-was-alive-she-was/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-hart-lovelace/betsy-was-so-full-of-joy-that-she-had-to-be-alone-she-went-upstairs/) [Maud Hart Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-hart-lovelace/) > [“A classic is read not to enjoy but only to be boast about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aman-jassal/a-classic-is-read-not-to-enjoy-but-only-to-be-boast-about-it/) [Aman Jassal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aman-jassal/) > [I like a lot of movies. I like all types of genres. I like the classics - comedy, action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-green/i-like-a-lot-of-movies-i-like-all-types-of-genres-i-like-the-classics/) [Danny Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-green/) > [“You don't know what your life is, nor what you're doing, nor who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/you-don-t-know-what-your-life-is-nor-what-you-re-doing-nor-who-you-are/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Professors of classics - not even a professor of English - professors of classics, they're something sacred; it's almost like being a priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/professors-of-classics-not-even-a-professor-of-english-professors-of/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [It's so important your customer can rely on you for your classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/it-s-so-important-your-customer-can-rely-on-you-for-your-classics/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) [Royall Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royall-tyler/) > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) ## More by Agatha Christie > [One must accept the fact that we have only one companion in this world, a companion who accompanies us from the cradle to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/one-must-accept-the-fact-that-we-have-only-one-companion-in-this/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“I like to see an angry Englishman," said Poirot. "They are very amusing. The more emotional they feel the less command they have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-like-to-see-an-angry-englishman-said-poirot-they-are-very-amusing/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Now, as I expect you know, there is nothing more cruel than talk, and there is nothing more difficult to combat. When people say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/now-as-i-expect-you-know-there-is-nothing-more-cruel-than-talk-and/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“A child says ‘Thank God for my good dinner’. What can I say at seventy-five? ‘Thank God for my good life, and for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/a-child-says-thank-god-for-my-good-dinner-what-can-i-say-at-seventy/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“I'm afraid I always find Shakespeare terribly dreary. All those long scenes where everybody is drunk and it's supposed to be funny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-m-afraid-i-always-find-shakespeare-terribly-dreary-all-those-long/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Either her dream had taken a very odd turn or else - or else Mary had really rushed into the room and had said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/either-her-dream-had-taken-a-very-odd-turn-or-else-or-else-mary-had/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Every murderer is probably somebody’s old friend,” observed Poirot philosophically. “You cannot mix up sentiment and reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/every-murderer-is-probably-somebody-s-old-friend-observed-poirot/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Well, of course, it was not any of my business but you get very queer glimpses of life sometimes, and you can't help speculating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/well-of-course-it-was-not-any-of-my-business-but-you-get-very-queer/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Mr. Satterthwaite looked cheered. Suddenly an idea struck him. His jaw fell. "My goodness," he cried, "I've only just realized it! That rascal, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/mr-satterthwaite-looked-cheered-suddenly-an-idea-struck-him-his-jaw/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“The old gentleman refuses to have the telephone which he regards as a device of the devil, and on a par with radio, television,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-old-gentleman-refuses-to-have-the-telephone-which-he-regards-as-a/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“That’s how they do it, these girls! Othello charmed Desdemona by telling her stories, but, oh, didn’t Desdemona charm Othello by the way she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/that-s-how-they-do-it-these-girls-othello-charmed-desdemona-by/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/it-is-ridiculous-to-set-a-detective-story-in-new-york-city-new-york/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [In the midst of life, we are in death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/in-the-midst-of-life-we-are-in-death/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Then there are some minor points that strike me as suggestive - for instance, the position of Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag, the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/then-there-are-some-minor-points-that-strike-me-as-suggestive-for/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“The face towels had been excellent value and just what Margaret wanted, the space gun for Robby and the rabbit for Jean were highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-face-towels-had-been-excellent-value-and-just-what-margaret/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) [Explore all 1,053 Agatha Christie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) ## More Classics quotes > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) [Royall Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royall-tyler/) > [It's so important your customer can rely on you for your classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/it-s-so-important-your-customer-can-rely-on-you-for-your-classics/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [Professors of classics - not even a professor of English - professors of classics, they're something sacred; it's almost like being a priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/professors-of-classics-not-even-a-professor-of-english-professors-of/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [“You don't know what your life is, nor what you're doing, nor who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/you-don-t-know-what-your-life-is-nor-what-you-re-doing-nor-who-you-are/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I like a lot of movies. I like all types of genres. I like the classics - comedy, action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-green/i-like-a-lot-of-movies-i-like-all-types-of-genres-i-like-the-classics/) [Danny Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-green/) > [“A classic is read not to enjoy but only to be boast about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aman-jassal/a-classic-is-read-not-to-enjoy-but-only-to-be-boast-about-it/) [Aman Jassal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aman-jassal/) > [“Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-hart-lovelace/betsy-was-so-full-of-joy-that-she-had-to-be-alone-she-went-upstairs/) [Maud Hart Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-hart-lovelace/) > [“You are too generous to trifle with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/you-are-too-generous-to-trifle-with-me/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Don't play with others, or at one day, you will be played by others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usama-ejaz/don-t-play-with-others-or-at-one-day-you-will-be-played-by-others/) [Usama Ejaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usama-ejaz/) > [“Sin is the only real colour-element left in modern life.' 'You really must not say things like that before Dorian, Harry.' 'Before which Dorian?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sin-is-the-only-real-colour-element-left-in-modern-life-you-really/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“They always looked back before turning the corner, for their mother was always at the window to nod and smile, and wave her hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/they-always-looked-back-before-turning-the-corner-for-their-mother/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I can trace my interest in modern classics to the summer before art college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-healey/i-can-trace-my-interest-in-modern-classics-to-the-summer-before-art/) [Emma Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-healey/) > [“Those who have not learned to read the ancient classics in the language in which they were written must have a very imperfect knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/those-who-have-not-learned-to-read-the-ancient-classics-in-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Classics can be phenomenal when done right. A simple roast chicken dish could be the best thing you ever eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/classics-can-be-phenomenal-when-done-right-a-simple-roast-chicken/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) [Browse all 314 Classics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadness crept over him. Yes, he should have become acquainted with the classics. Long ago. Now, alas, it was too late…”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Agatha Christie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Classics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/agatha-christie-154_classics_poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doub_50593.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had…” — Agatha Christie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Agatha Christie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```