Canon Discussion: The Three Garridebs
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sherlock60This week we’re having a look at The Three Garridebs. As always, I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the ball rolling.
…it was in the same month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which may perhaps some day be described. Any thoughts on what the “services” were and why Holmes refused the honour?
…the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902… It’s rather curious. In this story, we have an intense moment of affection between Holmes and Watson. Then three months later in ILLU (Watson explicitly places it in September 1902), they’re living apart, after having lived continuously together at Baker Street for the previous eight years. Any thoughts?
"Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?" Well, we must assume that ACD just made the name up. But does anyone want to have a go at explaining the etymology or origins of the name? This article has an amusing crack at it.
"You're not hurt, Watson? For God's sake, say that you are not hurt!" This is such a moving moment—seeing just how much Watson means to Holmes. (I would feel embarrassed about enjoying it, but even Watson agrees it was worth him getting shot to hear it ^^)
…the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. I think the relevant word here is “depth”. They’ve been friends for so many years—it's unlikely that Holmes and Watson are completely unaware of the affection each has for the other. But they both seem to be men who keep their cards somewhat close to their chests. For example: out of the blue, Holmes tells Watson he has a brother, but Watson only lets Holmes know about his brother quite some time after that in the timeline—after the brother has died.
And what about that “cold mask”? I think Holmes does use it in his work but I can’t really believe he uses it on Watson. I mean, even at the beginning of this story we’re told about: a twinkle of amusement in his austere gray eyes. I suspect Watson is exaggerating this aspect of Holmes’ personality for the benefit of his readers.
For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. The one and only time? I simply can’t believe this. Holmes and Watson have laughed together. Watson has witnessed Holmes’ kindness towards Mrs. Hudson and towards clients. When Holmes returns after the hiatus, he shows gentle concern for Watson’s bereavement and secretly buys Watson’s practice for more than it’s worth so Watson can move back into Baker Street. Holmes may be an intelligent and fascinating man but he wouldn’t have kept Watson’s friendship for all these years if he hadn’t been a nice man too.
“If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive.” What exactly does Holmes mean by this? I suppose it could just be something you say when you’re upset. But would he truly have shot Evans in relatively cold blood? Perhaps what he means is that, if it had been apparent immediately that Watson had been shot dead, Holmes would have shot and killed Evans rather than incapacitating him. He doesn’t mean that if Watson had bled to death, he would then have shot the stunned and helpless Evans.
Incidentally, I’m impressed with how Holmes deals with the situation. He’s terrified that Watson has been seriously injured but he sensibly makes sure that Evans is incapacitated first before going to Watson’s aid. And he doesn’t just shoot Evans, which might have been the safest thing to do. (I’m assuming Holmes wouldn’t have been prosecuted for that—it would have been counted as self-defence.)
We heard later that our poor old friend never got over the shock of his dissipated dreams. This does feel a bit surprising. I know it must have been a huge disappointment, and Garrideb was eccentric and isolated—but having to end up in a nursing home? Is this Watson trying to come up with a more dramatic ending for him?
Next Sunday, 14th December, we’ll be having a look at The Problem of Thor Bridge. Hope you can join us then.
…it was in the same month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which may perhaps some day be described. Any thoughts on what the “services” were and why Holmes refused the honour?
…the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902… It’s rather curious. In this story, we have an intense moment of affection between Holmes and Watson. Then three months later in ILLU (Watson explicitly places it in September 1902), they’re living apart, after having lived continuously together at Baker Street for the previous eight years. Any thoughts?
"Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?" Well, we must assume that ACD just made the name up. But does anyone want to have a go at explaining the etymology or origins of the name? This article has an amusing crack at it.
"You're not hurt, Watson? For God's sake, say that you are not hurt!" This is such a moving moment—seeing just how much Watson means to Holmes. (I would feel embarrassed about enjoying it, but even Watson agrees it was worth him getting shot to hear it ^^)
…the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. I think the relevant word here is “depth”. They’ve been friends for so many years—it's unlikely that Holmes and Watson are completely unaware of the affection each has for the other. But they both seem to be men who keep their cards somewhat close to their chests. For example: out of the blue, Holmes tells Watson he has a brother, but Watson only lets Holmes know about his brother quite some time after that in the timeline—after the brother has died.
And what about that “cold mask”? I think Holmes does use it in his work but I can’t really believe he uses it on Watson. I mean, even at the beginning of this story we’re told about: a twinkle of amusement in his austere gray eyes. I suspect Watson is exaggerating this aspect of Holmes’ personality for the benefit of his readers.
For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. The one and only time? I simply can’t believe this. Holmes and Watson have laughed together. Watson has witnessed Holmes’ kindness towards Mrs. Hudson and towards clients. When Holmes returns after the hiatus, he shows gentle concern for Watson’s bereavement and secretly buys Watson’s practice for more than it’s worth so Watson can move back into Baker Street. Holmes may be an intelligent and fascinating man but he wouldn’t have kept Watson’s friendship for all these years if he hadn’t been a nice man too.
“If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive.” What exactly does Holmes mean by this? I suppose it could just be something you say when you’re upset. But would he truly have shot Evans in relatively cold blood? Perhaps what he means is that, if it had been apparent immediately that Watson had been shot dead, Holmes would have shot and killed Evans rather than incapacitating him. He doesn’t mean that if Watson had bled to death, he would then have shot the stunned and helpless Evans.
Incidentally, I’m impressed with how Holmes deals with the situation. He’s terrified that Watson has been seriously injured but he sensibly makes sure that Evans is incapacitated first before going to Watson’s aid. And he doesn’t just shoot Evans, which might have been the safest thing to do. (I’m assuming Holmes wouldn’t have been prosecuted for that—it would have been counted as self-defence.)
We heard later that our poor old friend never got over the shock of his dissipated dreams. This does feel a bit surprising. I know it must have been a huge disappointment, and Garrideb was eccentric and isolated—but having to end up in a nursing home? Is this Watson trying to come up with a more dramatic ending for him?
Next Sunday, 14th December, we’ll be having a look at The Problem of Thor Bridge. Hope you can join us then.
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Date: 2014-12-08 04:10 pm (UTC)If it's not true, perhaps the case was simply the last straw for Garrideb.
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Date: 2014-12-08 06:29 pm (UTC)And yes, I suppose there may have been more going on in Nathan Garrideb's life, and inside his head, than we're told about.
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Date: 2014-12-08 09:55 pm (UTC)I really like this case. So much that I realised only after it was pointed out to me how similar it is to The Red-Headed League.
The intense H/W moment surely helps a lot, but ... I personally consider 3GAR to be one of the best mysteries in Holmesian canon. (All right, I have to admit that REDH closely follows, and yet, to me nothing can top COPP. ^^)
And why does Watson move away so soon? Well, beside Doyle's carelessness in dating, my main suspicion would be that the wound inflicted by Killer Evans. It proved to be much more than our beloved Doctor's health can withstand. There are, after all, 17 steps up to their sitting room, in addition to which Watson's own room are upstairs - yet another flight of stairs he had to climb daily, and very likely more than once.
But to be perfectly honest, I hope that Watson lies about moving away from Baker Street and marrying again. I love this fandom interpretation to pieces, for I think that Holmes and Watson could hardly ever drift apart, as Doyle tried to persuade us.
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Date: 2014-12-08 11:10 pm (UTC)I like 3GAR quite a lot too. It does have a basic similarity with REDH but I think the two stories are different enough. As you said, you didn't notice the similarity until it was pointed out to you. (And I like COPP a great deal - I really like the friendship between Holmes, Watson and Violet Hunter ^^)
I really like your theory as to why Watson moves out. After all, in ILLU their friendship seems intact (though Holmes does seem to spend most of the case with his agents, rather than Watson), and Watson is living less than a mile from Baker Street and doesn't seem to have married again yet. It would fit in that Watson was downplaying his injury in 3GAR but in fact was so badly wounded that he needed to live somewhere without stairs.
I agree with you that it would be nice to think that Holmes and Watson never drifted apart. It just seems so odd when they've been so close.