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He is an extraordinary little man! Height, five feet four inches, egg-shaped head carried a little to one side, eyes that show green when he is excited, stiff military moustache, air of dignity immense! He is neat and dandified in appearance. For neatness of any kind he has an absolute passion. To see an ornament set crookedly, or a speck of dust, or a slight disarray in one's attire, is torture to the little man until he can ease his feelings by remedying the matter. "Order" and "Method" are his gods. He has a certain disdain for tangible evidence, such as footprints and cigarette ash, and will maintain that, taken by themselves, they will never enable a detective to solve a problem. Then he will tap his egg-shaped head with absurd complacency, and remark with great satisfaction: "The true work, it is done from within. The little grey cells - remember always the grey cells, mon ami."
Statement of Poirot: "One does not, you know, employ merely the muscles. I do not need to bend and measure the footprints and pick up the cigarette ends and examine the bent blades of grass. It is enough for me to sit back in my chair and think. It is this" - he tapps his egg-shaped head - "this that functions!"
Poirot does his job without any emotions and that's why his opponent never knows what he is thinking about!
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