BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Do Resident Patient and Cardboard Box share a scene?

**Posted by veecee** June 22, 2012 7:56 pm

I just started reading The Adventure of the Cardboard Box and had a sense of deja vu. I could have sworn I'd already read the opening scene. Luckily, I was reading on my Kindle and was able to do a search. Sure enough, the description of Holmes reading Watson's thoughts is about the same in The Resident Patient. As they say, what's up with that?

Last edited by veecee (June 22, 2012 11:24 pm)

**Posted by sherlockskitty** June 23, 2012 7:40 am

Interesting question. I've just scanned over the first few paragraphs of each story, as I have the whole volume of all 60 stories.

you're right, Watson does narrate both stories similarily, I never noticed that!! But watson chose different words in each story, to demonstrate the same thing, which is Holmes amazing talents. Plus, at the time of writing these stories, Watson was a little bit wary in what he wrote, since Holmes was very critical of his writings.

good observation!! this is the best way I know, to answer your question.

**Posted by Smoggy_London_Air** June 27, 2012 8:04 pm

I actually know this one. Yay! *claps hands*

Your editions are American, I assume, because you're American and I think this little quirk only shows up in American editions. It's there because ACD decided to scrap that scene from the Resident Patient when he first published Memoirs. Later, he decided he really did like the scene and put it in the Cardboard Box for its original publication in The Strand. It's not a major plot point in either of the stories, so depending on the version someone owns it is either in both, one, or in rare cases, neither. (And I might have mixed the two up, but I think I got it right.)

I always thought this scene was hilarious because Sherlock puts down C. Auguste Dupin for a similar trick in Study, saying that his mind-reading was "show-offy".

**Posted by sherlockskitty** June 27, 2012 8:47 pm

I didn't know that smoggy!! great tidbit of info, thank u for sharing.

**Posted by Smoggy_London_Air** July 1, 2012 12:45 am

If you like little tidbits like that, you should see if you can get your hands on The Bedside, Bathtub, and Armchair Companion to Sherlock Holmes. It's just a compendium of all the stuff you never thought you needed to know about the canon. I've checked it out three times from my local library and to this day remain the only person who has done so. (unfortunately)