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| “ | It's a terrible thing to get old, Lydia. | „ |
| ~ Simeon Lee to Lydia, his daughter-in-law |
| “ | Right? Right! You've no rights, any of you. You're just a set of namby-pamby weaklings! Has any of you produced one grandson for me? No! I'm just sick to death of the lot of you. Get out! Get out, all of you! Get out! Get out! | „ |
| ~ Simeon Lee being cruel and harsh on his own family. |
Simeon Lee is the secondary antagonist of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot's Christmas, and its primary victim. He is the cruel, perverted and condescending patriarch of Lee family as well as a multi-millionaire who is cruel towards his own children and had love affair with other women. He was killed by the story's culprit for vengeance against his past crime.
In Agatha Christie's Poirot, he was portrayed by Vernon Dobtcheff (as an old man) and Scott Handy (when younger).
Overview[]
Early life[]
Simeon Lee was born from a rich family and was infamous for being a perverted playboy who slept with other women, as well as killing a friend of his to take over a large diamond they had discovered. At one certain point afterwards, Simeon had sexual relationship with a local girl and conceived Superintendent Sugden, who later tried to avenge his mother who was abandoned by his father.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas[]
Many years later, Simeon Lee, now a multi-millionaire frail in his old age, unexpectedly invites his family to gather at his home for Christmas. The gesture is met with suspicion by the guests. Simeon is not given to warm family sentiment, and the family are not on good terms.
Simeon is intent on playing a cruel game with his family's emotions. He calls his family together that afternoon, to hear him on the telephone with his attorney, saying he wants to update his will after Christmas. This incomplete information stirs up negative feelings among his sons and their wives.
In the meantime, Sudgen secretly sneaks into the house and later murdered Simeon by slicing his throat, and faked the crime scene as well as scream with a special toy balloon and ropes to smash furnitures, whilst he escapes through the window after locking up the door and stealing diamonds to frame Simeon's children, eventually avenging his mother. When the guests and family members heard the noise, they get to his door and find it locked. They break through the door and find the room in grisly chaos, with heavy furniture overturned, crockery smashed, and Simeon dead, his throat slit, in a massive pool of blood.
Quotes[]
| “ | Simeon Lee: Hercule Poirot? Hercule Poirot: Yes, it is I, Hercule Poirot, who speaks. Simeon Lee: I need a detective to come and stay here in my house for Christmas. Hercule Poirot: Non, monsieur, I... Simeon Lee: Don't say no just like that. Hear me out. Superintendent Sugden of the Shropshire Police recommended you. Hercule Poirot: I do not know him. Simeon Lee: I don't care if you don't know him. He knows you. My life is in danger. Hercule Poirot: Have you received any threats, Monsieur... Simeon Lee: Lee. Simeon Lee. Ah, well, you'd have to be here to understand. Hercule Poirot: Tell to me if you please, Monsieur Lee, does your house have the central heating? Simeon Lee: What? Yes, of course. Hercule Poirot: Very well. Poirot will be there tomorrow. |
„ |
| ~ Simeon Lee. |
| “ | Simeon Lee: You don't look very tough. Hercule Poirot: Hercule Poirot is a detective, not a bodyguard, monsieur. Simeon Lee: Oh, is he? Got a brain, has he? Well, good thing somebody has. All my sons are complete nincompoops. I've probably got better sons scattered all over the world, born on the wrong side of the blanket. My family hate me, you know. Hercule Poirot: It is not hard to see why, Monsieur Lee. Simeon Lee: They're frightened of me. It is often the way with men who are old and rich. Well, anyway, I'm going to make an announcement this evening, and then they'll have good cause to hate me. |
„ |
| ~ Simeon Lee. |
| “ | Simeon Lee: I've been a very wicked man, Pilar. What do you think of that ? Pilar: The nuns say all men are wicked. Simeon Lee: Nuns? [Laughing] But I don't regret it. I've enjoyed every moment of it. I've cheated, and I've stolen, and I've lied. And the women! Are you shocked, Pilar? Pilar: Why should I be shocked? Men always desire women. That is why wives are unhappy and go to church and pray. Simeon Lee: You are the devil's brat. Pilar: Oh, you like me to sit here with you, Grandfather? Simeon Lee: Yes, I do. It's a long time since I was close to anything as young and beautiful as you are. It warms my old bones. Ah, but you don't fool me. Don't think I don't know why you sit here listening to me droning on. Money. |
„ |
| ~ Simeon Lee. |
| “ | Well, let your wife do her bit then. She could make her own clothes. Even my wife could make her own clothes, and she was one of the most stupid women it's been my sorrow to meet. | „ |
| ~ Simeon Lee denigrating his son Georges while speaking ill of his late wife. |
Trivia[]
- Simeon Lee shares similarities with Lady Boynton from Appointment With Death since both of them are abusive parents and control freaks to their children who resented them. Their murders were faked by the true culprits and make their children to become suspects, and the real culprits are members outside of their families with motives that was not what it seemed at first.
- Because of his actions of abuse, control over family members and his past as a playboy and even an impied rapist, Simeon Lee is one of the most horrible and unsympathetic victims in a novel by Dame Agatha Christie ever.
