Smacking Holmes upside the head; an analysis of Silver Blaze
The real genius of the story
Let me return, however, to the real evidence’s of Holmes’ genius in the case—not the much ballyhooed dog in the night-time.
“It was the first link in my chain of reasoning. Powdered opium is by no means tasteless. The flavor is not disagreeable, but it is perceptible. Were it mixed with any ordinary dish the eater would undoubtedly detect it, and would probably eat no more. A curry was exactly the medium which would disguise this taste. By no possible supposition could this stranger, Fitzroy Simpson, have caused curry to be served in the trainer’s family that night, and it is surely too monstrous a coincidence to suppose that he happened to come along with powdered opium upon the very night when a dish happened to be served which would disguise the flavor. That is unthinkable. Therefore Simpson becomes eliminated from the case, and our attention centers upon Straker and his wife, the only two people who could have chosen curried mutton for supper that night.”
That’s brilliant!
I must also admire Holmes’ logic in determining where he might find the horse:
The horse is a very gregarious creature. If left to himself his instincts would have been either to return to King’s Pyland or go over to Mapleton. Why should he run wild upon the moor? He would surely have been seen by now. And why should gypsies kidnap him? These people always clear out when they hear of trouble, for they do not wish to be pestered by the police. They could not hope to sell such a horse. They would run a great risk and gain nothing by taking him. Surely that is clear.”
“Where is he, then?”
“I have already said that he must have gone to King’s Pyland or to Mapleton. He is not at King’s Pyland. Therefore he is at Mapleton.”
The horse is either at A or B and since he is not at A, he must be at B, Holmes essentially says. He had earlier criticized Inspector Gregory, whom he called an extremely competent officer, for not having a good imagination.
“See the value of imagination,” said Holmes. “It is the one quality which Gregory lacks. We imagined what might have happened, acted upon the supposition, and find ourselves justified. Let us proceed.”
That, of course, is Holmes genius. To see what others fail to see and to make connections that others cannot envision. I also appreciate that he’s the only person who says the obvious: that no sane person would think the delicate knife a proper weapon when confronting a horse thief.
Of course Holmes’ other genius is in pissing people off. Ross was understandably upset by the death of his trainer and the loss of his horse. That he might have been leery of Holmes’ antics (Holmes admits to daydreaming at one point) is understandable.
In fact this story really brings home the genius of making Watson female in the CBS television series Elementary. Lucy Lui’s Watson would have told Holmes he can’t treat people like that. She would never have allowed him to play Ross in that fashion. Sometimes the Watson of the Canon is a little too faithful.