"WE STROLLED ABOUT TOGETHER"

" HELPED HIM TO A CHAIR"

"IN HIS HAND HE HELD A PISTOL"

"'YOU HAVE GOT THEM ! WE CRIED."

Greetings,

     At the heart of this story is companionship - good and bad.

The complex relationship between Holmes and Watson is again documented by Sidney Paget.  In CROO, SP showed Watson's chagrin after a series of mindless slights by Holmes.  Lest that lead us to a misreading of the text - that Watson is subservient to Holmes,  in RESI Paget shows how much Holmes is dependent upon Watson.

 After a day's work is destroyed by Holmes breaking a test tube, he asks Watson to accompany him on a walk thru blustery London.

 That Holmes would uncharacteristically fumble a test tube and destroy his meticulous research and that he would then abandon the research for a walk thru London shows his frustration.  A frustration that is dangerous in such a finely tempered personality.  He turns to the person he has grown to depend upon to recapture the stoic equilibrium necessary for his work, Watson.

 " A day's work ruined, Watson....What do you say to a ramble through London?"

 Paget captures the dependency of Holmes on Watson's company to get him thru what is obviously one of those dangerous moments that haunts Holmes in the accompanying drawing.  It shows Holmes with his hand locked onto Watson's elbow and one foot dragging behind  looking toward Watson as they stroll through "the ever changing kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet Street and Strand."  Watson stares and strolls straight ahead.

 The simple caption captures completely their understanding of the moment and their relationship.

 "We Strolled About Together."

 The last illustration shows Watson's pleased expression as he leans toward his friend in his moment of triumph.  "You Have Got Them! We Cried!"  Holmes, standing straight with hands lightly clasped behind his back seems almost about to offer a smile in return.

 A tale that began with ominous possibilities for the strained psyche of Holmes ends with Holmes - and Watson - again in equilibrium.  All captured ably by the chronicler of their symbiotic relationship, not Doyle, but Paget.
 

Take Care

SP

 In a series of stories that celebrates the Victorian scenes of the island kingdom, Sidney Paget constantly ignores setting and focuses on the characters.  One of the most notable exceptions to this rule comes in the opening scene of  "The Adventure of the Resident Patient."  Holmes and Watson stroll thru a "kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through fleet street and the Strand," and Paget captures that kaleidoscope well.

 A hansom cab with three attendants pass by a gas street light as a nine Londoners crowd the streets.    A child being pulled along by his mother  or nanny must feel secure as they pass the bearded half concealed man since he is being observed out of the corner of his eye by the constable beneath the gas light.

 Those counting hats, and Paget loves hats, can spot at least six varieties: five top hats (all tall - befitting Londoners' self-exalted status of empire builders), three bowlers (maybe one derby in the shadows behind the light), a child's cap, the females' simple bonnet, and Sherlock - always the monarchist -  wears the homburg made popular by  Edward VII.

   In the third image in this story Paget focuses on the characters, playing along with the deception Doyle creates. The naive Dr. Trevelyan welcomes into his rooms, two of the five scoundrels who make up  the Worthington gang. Paget draws the scene delicately with the younger thug dressed in fur trimmed top-coat, top hat in hand.  His brother rat is dressed as a nobleman with vest and wainscot.

 Paget takes Doyle at his word when he describes the frightened Blessington/Sutton with bristly hair.  In the fifth image of the set, the patient is lowering his revolver as Trevelyan reaches toward him and Watson (sigh) stands flat footed. Sherlock cocks a head in attention and reaches into his own left coat pocket. Perhaps he knows the scene will produce no violence, or perhaps he has an answer to it curled around his fingers.

 The last image is a study in good posture.  Only Watson (sigh) slumps forward in obvious surprise that Doyle has ended this tale with such unsatisfactory suddenness. Holmes take it like a man.  Hands behind his  back he recites the skeleton script he has been provide with for the combination climax/denouement which will exit him from this tale where his callousness or miscalculation has left a man swinging from the eaves after he has walked away from him.

Take Care

SP