'The Witness for the Prosecution'
Critique • Quotes
Story collection, 1933About the story
Author
Agatha Christie, England
First publication
As "Traitor's Hands" in Flynn's magazine, 1925
First book publication
In The Hound of Death story collection, 1933
Form
Story
Genre
Crime, mystery
Writing language
English
Length
Approx. 6,500 words
Notable lines
Mr. Mayherne adjusted his pince-nez and cleared his throat with a little dry-as-dust cough that was wholly typical of him. Then he looked again at the man opposite him, the man charged with willful murder.
Mr Mayherne was a small man, precise in manner, neatly, not to say foppishly dressed, with a pair of very shrewd and piercing gray eyes. By no means a fool. Indeed, as a solicitor, Mr. Mayherne's reputation stood very high. His voice, when he spoke to his client, was dry but not unsympathetic.
"I must impress upon you again that you are in very grave danger, and that the utmost frankness is necessary."
— First lines
She drew aside the scarf and the lawyer recoiled involuntarily before the almost formless blur of scarlet. She replaced the scarf again.
"So you're not wanting to kiss me, dearie? He, he, I don't wonder. And yet I was a pretty girl once—not so long ago as you'd think, either. Vitriol, dearie, vitriol—that's what did that. Ah! but I'll be even with 'em—"
"Curious things, habits. People themselves never knew they had them."
"I knew—he was guilty!"
— Last line
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