How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Halloa, Watson! Where have you dropped from?" said he. "You don't mean to say that you came after me in spite of all?"
I explained everything to him: how I had found it impossible to remain behind, how I had followed him, and how I had witnessed all that had occurred. For an instant his eyes blazed at me, but my frankness disarmed his anger, and he broke at last into a rather rueful laugh.
"You would have thought the middle of that prairie a fairly safe place for a man to be private," said he, "but, by thunder, the whole countryside seems to have been out to see me do my wooing—and a mighty poor wooing at that!" (9.24-6)
We just suggested that one of the things that makes the moors so threatening is their vast emptiness. In fact, the moors turn out to be full of people: Holmes has been concealing himself there, as has Selden the convict and Sir Henry and his secret love interest . But everyone seems to be there on his or her own private business. They're definitely not planning a block party.
Quote #8
A spectral hound which leaves material footmarks and fills the air with its howling is surely not to be thought of. Stapleton may fall in with such a superstition, and Mortimer also, but if I have one quality upon earth it is common sense, and nothing will persuade me to believe in such a thing. To do so would be to descend to the level of these poor peasants, who are not content with a mere fiend dog but must needs describe him with hell-fire shooting from his mouth and eyes. Holmes would not listen to such fancies, and I am his agent. But facts are facts, and I have twice heard this crying upon the moor. Suppose that there were really some huge hound loose upon it; that would go far to explain everything. But where could such a hound lie concealed, where did it get its food, where did it come from, how was it that no one saw it by day? (10.3)
We sometimes forget that Watson himself spends much of this novel isolated and out on his own. Without Holmes by his side to keep him grounded, Watson is obsessed with questions he can't answer. His reflections also guide our attention to what we should be thinking about as Watson's investigations continue. As Watson says here, clearly there is not going to be a ghost dog involved in this case. But if it's a real dog, where is it and how has it been hiding …?
It's easy to get obsessive when you're alone with a lot of time on your hands.
Quote #9
One of Sherlock Holmes's defects—if, indeed, one may call it a defect—was that he was exceedingly loath to communicate his full plans to any other person until the instant of their fulfilment. Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature, which loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him. Partly also from his professional caution, which urged him never to take any chances. The result, however, was very trying for those who were acting as his agents and assistants. I had often suffered under it, but never more so than during that long drive in the darkness. The great ordeal was in front of us; at last we were about to make our final effort, and yet Holmes had said nothing, and I could only surmise what his course of action would be. (14.1)
Holmes has people whom he trusts (Lestrade and the kid Cartwright) and people whom he cares about (Watson) in this novel, but he still tends to withdraw into himself at the most critical moments. Watson understands why, but it still drives him nuts.
It seems unfair to drag Watson along on this "great ordeal" and not tell him the plan. It could put Watson in greater danger. But do you think Holmes would keep the plan a secret if he thought it might harm his friend? Would this even occur to him?