“a strong natural turn for this sort of thing.” [CHAS]
In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Watson tells us that Sherlock Holmes had a “cat-like love of personal cleanliness.”
Could that penchant for tidiness have overlapped into his professional dealings? It seems most likely.
Take this commentary from “The Adventure of the Red Circle”:
“Why should you go further in it? What have you to gain from it?”
“What, indeed? It is art for art’s sake, Watson. I suppose when you doctored you found yourself studying cases without thought of a fee?”
“For my education, Holmes.”
“Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last. This is an instructive case. There is neither money nor credit in it, and yet one would wish to tidy it up. When dusk comes we should find ourselves one stage advanced in our investigation.”
How fascinating that Holmes couldn't stand to allow a little conundrum like this stand without busying himself with it. Certainly consistent with his need to have things just so.
Of course, when we find the mention of Watson finding “himself once more in the untidy room of the first floor of Baker Street,” in “The Mazarin Stone,” it's a clear indication that the story was written by an imposter.
Meanwhile, it seems that John is learning a little something about psychology at Baker Street Elementary...
Baker Street Elementary follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at www.bakerstreetelementary.org.
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