The Sign of Four: I Saw, But Did Not Observe

[tripleransom.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Sign of Four
Title: I Saw, But Did Not Observe
Author: tripleransom
Rating: G


I Saw, But Did Not Observe

I saw at once that Miss Morstan had the correct intuition to make her a model client. What I did not see at once – to my everlasting regret – is that she had the correct intuition to make her a model wife for my own dear Doctor.

If only I had observed, I would not now be alone with my cocaine.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Sad, but perhaps inevitable.

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

Ah, poor Holmes. I wonder what lengths (if any) he would have gone to to prevent their union if he had observed?

Nice job!

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Oh, crikey - poignant stuff. I'm sure Holmes feels like this in the grip of one of his fits of "blackest depression". But he's a decent man - I don't believe he would ever have tried to stand in the way of Watson and Miss Morstan, even if he had realised what was going to happen between them.

[tripleransom.livejournal.com]

My thought is that he wishes he had made a move on Watson before Miss Morstan ever came on the scene.

[debriswoman]

Oh, Holmes...I wonder what he would or could have done?
Nicely done:-)

re: I Saw, But Did Not Observe

[vaysh]

I've always maintained that Holmes in SIGN puts up a bit of a fight for John, when he displays his "merits as a housekeeper" at the dinner with John and Inspector Jones. ;) But yes, alas, all too late. You put very succinctly that not observing emotions can be as much a failure as not observing facts. Great take on Holmes' classic line. :)

Re: I Saw, But Did Not Observe

[tripleransom.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that's kind of where I was trying to go with it. That last line is so sad.