Previous
Mary Debenham
Colonel Arbuthnot is an older British soldier, a veteran of British colonial projects in India. He’s a stolid, “Anglo-Saxon” type, whom Poirot describes as being “honourable, [and] slightly stupid.” He provides an alibi for the young American Mr. MacQueen and defends Ms. Debenham when suspicion falls on her. He even invites suspicion to protect his fellow conspirators by placing a signature pipe-cleaner in Ratchett’s compartment. He was a friend of Daisy’s father, Colonel Armstrong.
Colonel Arbuthnot Quotes in Murder on the Orient Express
The Murder on the Orient Express quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Arbuthnot or refer to Colonel Arbuthnot. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1 Chapter 1
Quotes
The Colonel sat down. "Boy," he called in peremptory fashion. He gave an order for eggs and coffee. His eyes rested for a moment on Hercule Poirot they passed on indifferently. Poirot, reading the English mind correctly, knew that he had said to himself, "Only some damned foreigner."
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Chapter 8
Quotes
"In fact, Colonel Arbuthnot, you prefer law and order to private vengeance?" "Well, you can't go about having blood feuds and stabbing each other like Corsicans or the Mafia," said the Colonel. "Say what you like, trial by jury is a sound system."
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Murder on the Orient Express LitChart as a printable PDF.
Colonel Arbuthnot Quotes in Murder on the Orient Express
The Murder on the Orient Express quotes below are all either spoken by Colonel Arbuthnot or refer to Colonel Arbuthnot. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1 Chapter 1
Quotes
The Colonel sat down. "Boy," he called in peremptory fashion. He gave an order for eggs and coffee. His eyes rested for a moment on Hercule Poirot they passed on indifferently. Poirot, reading the English mind correctly, knew that he had said to himself, "Only some damned foreigner."
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Chapter 8
Quotes
"In fact, Colonel Arbuthnot, you prefer law and order to private vengeance?" "Well, you can't go about having blood feuds and stabbing each other like Corsicans or the Mafia," said the Colonel. "Say what you like, trial by jury is a sound system."
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
