Nero Wolfe: Trio for Blunt Instruments, The Doorbell Rang, And Four to Go

[cimorene]

"Manifestly you’re either a jackass or a murderer, and conceivably both."

Outside, some snowflakes were doing stunts.

"Since the complexities of nature permit a myriad of coincidences we cannot reject one offhand, but we can discriminate."

• On falling asleep: [B]efore I made up my mind I didn’t have a mind. It was gone.


• In the name of the Almighty Lord or J. Edgar Hoover, whichever you prefer,


• "Manifestly you’re either a jackass or a murderer, and conceivably both.”


• "It’s possible that she would enjoy skiing with you, though in my opinion anyone who enjoys skiing is hard up for something to enjoy,"

—Trio for Blunt Instruments


• “The last part was irrelevant.”
  
  “I’m often irrelevant. It confuses people.”
  
  “You keep waving your legs around.”
  
  “That confuses them too.”


• "We are at the mercy of the vicissitudes of fortune; we can only invite, not command."


• “Posilutely.”


• Outside, some snowflakes were doing stunts.


• When Nero Wolfe needs a snack:“I have decided,” he said, “that every man alive today is half idiot and half hero. Only heroes could survive in the maelstrom, and only idiots would want to.”


• That was the first and only time I have ever heard men introduced while boxed.

—The Doorbell Rang


• "Since the complexities of nature permit a myriad of coincidences we cannot reject one offhand, but we can discriminate."

—And Four to Go

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

Some more winners here!

[cimorene]

I'm kind of sad that I'm unlikely to ever stumble upon an appropriate moment to say 'that was the first and only time I have ever heard men introduced while boxed'.

[sara]

These novels have gotten me through so much because I like to imagine a universe where people are consistently this clever.

[cimorene]

Well, plenty of the guest characters are not clever at all! Although it's not confined to Archie and Wolfe if you look at snappy comebacks...