Chapter 5
English Lit: AQA GCSE The Sign of the Four, topic 2.1.5
Chapter 5: The Tragedy at Pondicherry Lodge
The group arrived at Pondicherry Lodge, the home of Bartholomew Sholto, at the end of the previous chapter. The man who opens the door (McMurdo) at the lodge has ‘distrustful eyes’ and is reluctant to let them in.
McMurdo's message
- McMurdo reveals that Bartholomew Sholto has been in his room all day.
- Suddenly, the group freeze as they hear the wails of Mrs Bernstone, the housekeeper.
- Mrs Bernstone is terrified that something is wrong with Bartholomew and asks the group to go and check on him.
Discovering Bartholomew
- Holmes, Watson and Thaddeus find Bartholomew’s door is locked. They look through the keyhole and see Bartholomew, lit by the moonlight, looking completely frozen, with ‘a horrible smile, a fixed and unnatural grin’.
- Watson breaks down the door and the group find Bartholomew dead. Next to him is a piece of paper with ‘The sign of the four’ written on it.
Finding the thorn
- After examining the body, Holmes finds a poisoned thorn stuck in the skin, just about his ear.
- Watson declares the whole thing ‘an insoluble mystery… it grows darker instead of clearer’ but Holmes contradicts this, saying ‘on the contrary… it clears every instant’.
Thaddeus' panic
- Thaddeus suddenly exclaims that the Agra treasure has also been stolen. He starts to panic that, because he was the last one to see his brother alive, he would be accused of Bartholomew’s murder.
- Holmes sends Thaddeus to contact the police.
Key Quotations from Chapter 5
Here are three key quotations from Chapter 5:
The sign of the four
- There is a piece of paper with ‘The sign of the four’ written on it.
- A piece of paper, with ‘The sign of the four’ written on it was also found in the grounds at Pondicherry Lodge when Major Sholto died – is it the same piece of paper next to Bartholomew’s body, or a different piece?
- Conan Doyle could be using this to remind the reader of the importance of ‘The sign of the four’ in the plot of the story. This could suggest that they have something to do with Bartholomew’s death.
Contrast: Watson and Holmes
- Watson: ‘an insoluble mystery… it grows darker instead of clearer’
- Holmes: ‘on the contrary… it clears every instant’.
- The investigation highlights the differences between Holmes and Watson.
- As new evidence is presented, Watson becomes more and more confused by how it all fits together. Holmes, on the other hand, appears to almost know the answers already but is just waiting for the pieces of the puzzle to fit into place.
Sherlock's ability to calm others
- 'You have no reason to fear’ (Sherlock Holmes).
- Although Holmes sometimes comes across as arrogant and unsociable, he does know how to communicate well with vulnerable people. He manages to calm Thaddeus down quite quickly, despite him being anxious and having just walked in to find his brother has been murdered.
Test yourself on Chapter 5
What is written on the piece of paper that Watson finds next to Bartholomew Sholto?
Events of Chapter 5
Why does Thaddeus Sholto start to panic at the end of Chapter 5?
Who does Holmes manage to calm down in Chapter 5 by saying the following quotation?
'You have no reason to fear’