Canon Discussion: The Priory School
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sherlock60This week we’re having a look at The Priory School. As always, I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion started.
"It is a princely offer," said Holmes. "Watson, I think that we shall accompany Dr. Huxtable back to the North of England.” Does the reward money and the Duke’s position make any difference to Holmes’ choice to take on the case? He says he’ll take it before hearing any of the details. I’m not sure the fact that a child is missing would necessarily mean that Holmes would immediately want to help. It’s not that he doesn’t care but if it appeared to be a straightforward case he would let the police sort it out.
"Had he ever [a letter] from France?" "No, never.” I suppose this is simply because the Duchess and her son haven’t been separated long: she apparently left for France shortly before he joined the school on the 1st of May, and then the boy disappeared on the 13th. It’s possible she didn’t yet know her child had been enrolled in the school. I assume she had absolutely no choice in leaving her son with his father, and that it would be expected for the estranged wife of a nobleman to live abroad. Socially, she’d be an embarrassment maybe. I do have great sympathy for her wanting to separate from her husband even though it meant leaving her child behind. It must have been an unbearable situation having Wilder there for all those years. And I suppose she didn’t realise Wilder was actually dangerous.
"A bicycle, certainly, but not the bicycle," said he. "I am familiar with forty-two different impressions left by tyres.” Any thoughts on how Holmes carried out this research?
That he could have gone on after receiving such an injury said much for the vitality and courage of the man. I so admire Herr Heidegger’s bravery and nobility—for a child he didn’t really know.
“James was so overwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty, and I taxed him with the deed.” It’s deeply disturbing that the Duke suspects all the time that his elder son has abducted his younger, but never informs the police of this. And he actually says that his little boy was: “horrified beyond expression by the dreadful deed he had witnessed” but he still leaves him with his kidnappers for Wilder’s sake.
“The gallows awaits him, and I would do nothing to save him from it. What he will divulge I cannot tell, but I have no doubt that your Grace could make him understand that it is to his interest to be silent.” Would a man heading for the gallows be willing to keep quiet about Wilder’s (and the Duke’s) involvement? Money isn’t going to be much good to him. Unless Hayes does have affection for his wife despite treating her badly, and would accept financial help for her in exchange for not giving Wilder away.
“…I would suggest that you make such amends as you can to the Duchess, and that you try to resume those relations which have been so unhappily interrupted." What do you think are the chances of the Duke and the Duchess having a happy marriage from this point on? How much is the Duke going to tell his wife about the kidnapping? What happens when Arthur tells his mother that his father came to visit him where he was being held and then left him there? I doubt the Duchess would go to the police, and she will stay with the Duke for her son’s sake. But I can’t see either his wife or his child ever truly trusting the Duke again.
Holmes folded up his cheque and placed it carefully in his note-book. "I am a poor man," said he, as he patted it affectionately and thrust it into the depths of his inner pocket. What is going on in Holmes’ mind with regard to the reward money? Even Watson seems surprised by Holmes’ reaction. And how much money does he accept from the Duke in the end? We never actually see the Duke writing the cheque out. I like to think Holmes only takes the originally offered £6,000—the £12,000 seems to be unambiguously offered as a bribe.
There are previous 60s that discuss this whole question: [link] [link] [link] [link]. I rather like the idea that Holmes is taking the money for his retirement. Perhaps to buy the house and land in Sussex? But that doesn’t fully explain his enthusiasm for the money on this occasion. Is it delight for the fact that he’s discovered the truth, rather than for the cash itself? Maybe he’s saying to the Duke: You thought you were above the law because of your position but I caught you out in your lies. Having to hand the reward money over when he knew where his son was and who was responsible, does make the Duke look a fool in a way.
Next Sunday, 5th October, we’ll be moving on to Part 1, Chaps. 1-7 of The Valley of Fear. Hope you can join us for that.
"It is a princely offer," said Holmes. "Watson, I think that we shall accompany Dr. Huxtable back to the North of England.” Does the reward money and the Duke’s position make any difference to Holmes’ choice to take on the case? He says he’ll take it before hearing any of the details. I’m not sure the fact that a child is missing would necessarily mean that Holmes would immediately want to help. It’s not that he doesn’t care but if it appeared to be a straightforward case he would let the police sort it out.
"Had he ever [a letter] from France?" "No, never.” I suppose this is simply because the Duchess and her son haven’t been separated long: she apparently left for France shortly before he joined the school on the 1st of May, and then the boy disappeared on the 13th. It’s possible she didn’t yet know her child had been enrolled in the school. I assume she had absolutely no choice in leaving her son with his father, and that it would be expected for the estranged wife of a nobleman to live abroad. Socially, she’d be an embarrassment maybe. I do have great sympathy for her wanting to separate from her husband even though it meant leaving her child behind. It must have been an unbearable situation having Wilder there for all those years. And I suppose she didn’t realise Wilder was actually dangerous.
"A bicycle, certainly, but not the bicycle," said he. "I am familiar with forty-two different impressions left by tyres.” Any thoughts on how Holmes carried out this research?
That he could have gone on after receiving such an injury said much for the vitality and courage of the man. I so admire Herr Heidegger’s bravery and nobility—for a child he didn’t really know.
“James was so overwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty, and I taxed him with the deed.” It’s deeply disturbing that the Duke suspects all the time that his elder son has abducted his younger, but never informs the police of this. And he actually says that his little boy was: “horrified beyond expression by the dreadful deed he had witnessed” but he still leaves him with his kidnappers for Wilder’s sake.
“The gallows awaits him, and I would do nothing to save him from it. What he will divulge I cannot tell, but I have no doubt that your Grace could make him understand that it is to his interest to be silent.” Would a man heading for the gallows be willing to keep quiet about Wilder’s (and the Duke’s) involvement? Money isn’t going to be much good to him. Unless Hayes does have affection for his wife despite treating her badly, and would accept financial help for her in exchange for not giving Wilder away.
“…I would suggest that you make such amends as you can to the Duchess, and that you try to resume those relations which have been so unhappily interrupted." What do you think are the chances of the Duke and the Duchess having a happy marriage from this point on? How much is the Duke going to tell his wife about the kidnapping? What happens when Arthur tells his mother that his father came to visit him where he was being held and then left him there? I doubt the Duchess would go to the police, and she will stay with the Duke for her son’s sake. But I can’t see either his wife or his child ever truly trusting the Duke again.
Holmes folded up his cheque and placed it carefully in his note-book. "I am a poor man," said he, as he patted it affectionately and thrust it into the depths of his inner pocket. What is going on in Holmes’ mind with regard to the reward money? Even Watson seems surprised by Holmes’ reaction. And how much money does he accept from the Duke in the end? We never actually see the Duke writing the cheque out. I like to think Holmes only takes the originally offered £6,000—the £12,000 seems to be unambiguously offered as a bribe.
There are previous 60s that discuss this whole question: [link] [link] [link] [link]. I rather like the idea that Holmes is taking the money for his retirement. Perhaps to buy the house and land in Sussex? But that doesn’t fully explain his enthusiasm for the money on this occasion. Is it delight for the fact that he’s discovered the truth, rather than for the cash itself? Maybe he’s saying to the Duke: You thought you were above the law because of your position but I caught you out in your lies. Having to hand the reward money over when he knew where his son was and who was responsible, does make the Duke look a fool in a way.
Next Sunday, 5th October, we’ll be moving on to Part 1, Chaps. 1-7 of The Valley of Fear. Hope you can join us for that.
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