Canon Discussion: Silver Blaze

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

This week we’re having a look at Silver Blaze. As always, I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion started.

…Sherlock Holmes, with his sharp, eager face framed in his ear-flapped travelling-cap… The appearance of the famous deerstalker! Though, of course, it isn’t actually specified as a deerstalker.

…dipped rapidly into the bundle of fresh papers which he had procured at Paddington. We had left Reading far behind us before he thrust the last one of them under the seat…I hope you’re planning on taking those papers with you when you disembark, young man. (Honestly, give him half a chance and he turns everywhere into a tip.) And speaking of young men…

…I found that beyond the arrest of young Fitzroy Simpson nothing had been done… It’s perhaps odd that Holmes refers to Simpson as “young”. This story is seemingly set before Watson’s marriage. If we accept Holmes is 60 in 1914 (see LAST), then the most he can be here is 35. And Edith Baxter, the maid, has given a statement that “[Simpson’s] age… would be rather over thirty than under it.”

It’s a minor point but Holmes does it in SCAN as well: he refers to Miss Adler (born 1858, four years after Holmes) as “this young person”. Could it be that Holmes is older than he seems? Is he disguising himself as a younger man in LAST?

"One moment," I asked. "Did the stable-boy, when he ran out with the dog, leave the door unlocked behind him?" "Excellent, Watson, excellent!" murmured my companion. In this story, we get a few occasions of Watson actually taking part in the investigation (he also supposes that Straker inflicted the knife wound on himself and spots the tracks doubling back), instead of simply relating what Holmes does. It’s lovely to be reminded that Watson is in fact an intelligent man.

“Were he but gifted with imagination he might rise to great heights in his profession.” We also get a couple of wonderful examples of how Holmes uses imagination in his work—that stepping stone between observation and deduction. He imagines what might have happened if a stranger had entered the stable, and realises that the dog didn’t bark, which indicates the person who took the horse was known to the animal. He finds the wax vesta in the mud because he was able to imagine a scenario from the facts and then look for the evidence to back up the hypothesis. And he can work out where the horse must be by imagining its behaviour.

“Mrs. Straker tells us that Derbyshire was a friend of her husband's and that occasionally his letters were addressed here." I feel so sorry for Mrs. Straker. She seems so innocent and from what little we know about her, she obviously loved and cared about her husband. And now not only has he been murdered but previous to that he was being unfaithful to her. I suppose that fact that Straker had another, secret, woman didn’t necessarily mean that he didn’t love his wife any more but it was pretty shabby behaviour. If nothing else, he had a financial responsibility to his wife.

Colonel Ross, who had shown some signs of impatience at my companion's quiet and systematic method of work… I’m a little puzzled by Ross’ attitude to Holmes. Ross himself asked Holmes to come and investigate. He must have had some idea of Holmes’ reputation and perhaps the way he worked. Why does he suddenly think Holmes doesn’t know what he’s doing?

“If I might ask you to wait here for an instant, I have a question which I should like to put to the maid." A minor thing, but I wonder what the question is. There doesn’t appear to be anything else he needs to know from Miss Baxter. Does he want to ask if he left his ear-flapped travelling-cap there?

"I have seen nothing of my horse," said he. "I suppose that you would know him when you saw him?" asked Holmes. Well, now—this is a very good point. Even with the distinctive markings covered up, wouldn’t Ross have recognised the familiar horse? Especially with the overwhelming context at the racecourse.

Next week, 7th September, we’ll be having a look at The Yellow Face. Hope you can join us then.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I suppose because the horse was 'disguised in plain sight' and Ross wasn't expecting to see him, he didn't realise what he was looking at. I get the feeling that Ross was someone who wanted a job done NOW, went for the person who he had heard could do it, but hadn't actually paid any attention to Holmes' methods.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Must admit I'm the kind of person who can walk past people I know, if I haven't seen them for a couple of years or if they've changed their appearance slightly. So perhaps it isn't that unlikely that Ross didn't recognise his horse when he wasn't expecting to ^_^

Ross does seem like the kind of person who always wants to be in charge and always thinks he's right. So although he decides it's necessary to get in a well-known detective, he still wants to order Holmes about and tell him how to do his own job.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that idea why Colonel Ross didn't recognise Silver Blaze. I admit, that made the story the poorer for me, and your explanation is very convincing.

I bet your suggestion about his impatience with Holmes is right, too.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

I, too, found the bit where Holmes compliments Watson, and Watson deserves, very gratifying. Thanks for pointing out the 'young' description.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Have to say, don't think I'm the first person to point out the "young" business ^^"

And it is nice to see Holmes appreciating Watson ^_^