Poirot," I said. "I have been thinking." "An admirable exercise my friend. Continue it.
I was thinking, that when my time comes, I should be sorry if the only plea I had to offer was that of justice. Because it might mean that only justice would be meted out to me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the idea that relying solely on justice may not be enough; one should seek deeper moral understanding and accountability.
In this quote, Agatha Christie expresses a profound concern about the limitations of justice as a defense in the face of life's ultimate reckoning. It suggests that merely claiming justice, without deeper virtues or personal accountability, may not suffice when one's life is evaluated at the end. This prompts a reflection on the importance of integrity and moral responsibility beyond just adhering to justice.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal integrity, one might quote Agatha Christie to emphasize the importance of moral responsibility.
More from Agatha Christie
All quotes →Best of an island is once you get there - you can't go any farther...you've come to the end of things.
Where large sums of money are concerned, it is advisable to trust nobody.
I have wanted . . . to commit a murder myself. I recognized this as the desire of the artist to express himself! . . . But-incongruous as it may seem to some-I was restrained and hampered by my innate sense of justice. The innocent must not suffer.
Sitting here with one's knitting, one just sees the facts. -"The Blood-Stained Pavement
No, my friend, I am not drunk. I have just been to the dentist, and need not return for another six months! Is it not the most beautiful thought? --Poirot
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This is so American, man: either make something your God and cosmos and then worship it, or else kill it.