It’s almost 3 am, time to start The Hound of the Baskervilles

“Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night”

Big same, Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Watson: “How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head."
Holmes: “I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me”

Why is he Like This?

They BOTH think this is a compliment!

“It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it. I confess, my dear fellow, that I am very much in your debt."

Worth noting that from a Watsonian perspective this book was published after Holmes returned from the dead but before Watson told the public he returned from the dead. And that resentment sneaks through a bit! Like here:

“piqued by his indifference to my admiration” can be easily read as “i wrote 4 books about this guy and he didn’t even say thank you”

HOUND takes place in 1889, 1-2 years after Watson’s marriage. Yet Watson is living at Baker Street. I know a lot of scholars have debated this but I think House MD got closest and it’s a split custody arrangement

“Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill.”

Mortimer coming on strong!

Mortimer: Would you have any objection to my running my finger along your parietal fissure? A cast of your skull, sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament to any anthropological museum. It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull.

UNTIL THE ORIGINAL IS AVAILABLE

Not to be such a fucking craft person but I think the reason Holmes stories endure so well is because Holmes is usually sharing a secret joke with Watson, and since Watson is the POV, it feels like he’s sharing a joke with the reader.

Sherlock Holmes: I feel uncomfortable when we are not about me?

Cannot stress this enough: These are different cases. Multiple cases for the Pope. The Vatican basically had Sherlock Holmes on retainer.

Watson, what the fuck are you talking about?

Watson, what the fuck are you talking about?

Don’t tweet tired, friends

A singular heart?

Very glad I have the ebook search function to confirm, yes, they share a singular heart and also a singular soul in Wisteria Lodge

Sherlock Holmes’ very reasonable policy on not starting fights with Satan:

"I have hitherto confined my investigations to this world," said he. "In a modest way I have combated evil, but to take on the Father of Evil himself would, perhaps, be too ambitious a task.”

Watson! Get a job! You have a medical degree

I’m kidding, it actually rocks that Watson went through surgeon training and then decided to be a trophy hunk instead

This is so fucking funny. Holmes is sometimes a terrible detective

They’re about to have a fight about Holmes destroying the sitting room but Watson can’t stay mad at him when he makes deductions

Watson:
Holmes: [quickly makes a deduction]
Watson:

He laughed at my bewildered expression. "There is a delightful freshness about you, Watson, which makes it a pleasure to exercise any small powers which I possess at your expense.”

I’m so glad world’s most vain person found the world’s most easily impressed person. Good for them.

Holmes very casually roasting Watson by pointing out there is no one else Watson could have hung out with

The premise of the Sherlock Holmes stories is it’s hard to make friends after 30 so you just gotta put up with whatever eccentric bullshit your roommate pulls

"Well, it is rather obvious."
“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”

Watson is so goddamn patient

Holmes is absolutely testing the waters for some sub stuff here

Holmes: So again, if you ever find me tied up or locked a cage.... that’s a work thing. Don’t worry about it

Holmes is the Regina George of detectives

Wow, Holmes was wearing his dressing gown to client meetings long before zoom meetings. Truly a man ahead of his time.

I don’t even know who this thread is for, so fuck it, here is my cat who is supervising this read