Unfortunately, my book has "His Last Bow" as a series of short stories, too- for example, ones about tigers and murder instead of the one we were supposed to read. So I had to re-read everything.
It is highly fascinating to me that the beginning is not told from Doctor Watson's perspective in this story- it is told from the third person, and the first people we meet are not our dynamic duo.
""They are not very hard to deceive, these Englanders," he remarked. "A more docile, simple folk could not be imagined.""
As someone who lived in England, I can honestly attest that it is surprisingly easy to convince the English of anything (as a nation). It was actually fun to watch and join in.
Also- Holmes? Retired? Bees?
No no no no no no
Although....
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| Beekeeping Buddies does have a certain appeal... (courtesy of ghostbees.tumblr.com) |
(Ooops that's a bit ahead of where we agreed to stop)
Another fun quote:
"She [Martha] might almost personify Britannia," said he, "with her complete self absorption and general air of comfortable somnolence..."
These gentlemen honestly have such low esteem of England!
-Katie
(I like the drawing, even though it is a little ahead of where we're supposed to be....you almost spoiled it! :D )
ReplyDeleteVon Bork's and Von Herling's low esteem of Britain/the British people is made up for today by the many people today (myself included) who would love to go there, no matter how boring other people may say it is.
I really liked that passage with Martha....I always imagine her as a sort of Ms. Marple character, who may appear to be a quiet tea-loving Brit, but secretly wants to do something exciting, even as an old lady. That's my kind of grandma.... :)
~Claire
Bork's and Herling's low esteem of Britain I believe, is to be expected. No matter the country, if you are loyal to your own, and going under cover in this other country to try and destroy it, an inherent hatred of the country and its people would arise. So maybe they just don't like the British, or it may also be their patriotism for Germany coming out, and they feel obligated to dislike the country that theirs is at war with.
ReplyDeleteAs for Martha, I picture her as Violet Crawley from Downton Abbey if she does "personify Britannia", who, if you do not know, is kind of like the grandma Claire described, prim and proper, yet also has a little wild side.
~Jarod