Thaddeus Sholto in The Sign of the Four
Thaddeus Sholto is a strange-looking character who lives in a richly-decorated house. He is the one who has sent the letter of invitation to Miss Morstan. Watson is annoyed with him when he announces Captain Morstan's death in an offhand manner.
Thaddeus tells the story of his father, Major John Sholto, who returned from India eleven years ago with a large sum of money and treasures. He explains how, on his father's deathbed, he confessed that Morstan died after an argument about the treasure. Major Sholto regretted that he had left Miss Morstan without her share of the wealth. Thaddeus explains how his father then saw a face at the window and died of shock before he could tell them where the treasure was hidden.
Thaddeus seems to be more conscientious than his brother, Bartholomew, and is the one who has posted the pearls to Miss Morstan. When his brother is found dead, he worries, rightly, that he will be accused of murder.
He is arrested by Mr Athelney Jones, but later set free when secure alibis are established.
| How is Sholto like this? | Evidence | Analysis | |
| Nervous | He seems to be constantly twitching and moving in a nervous manner. | He writhed his hands together as he stood, and his features were in a perpetual jerk. | The words 'writhed' and 'jerk' describe awkward and uncomfortable movements, making Thaddeus appear anxious and uncomfortable. |
| Self-obsessed | Thaddeus worries constantly about his own health. As soon as he discovers that Watson is a doctor, Thaddeus asks him to listen to his heart. | He was clearly a confirmed hypochondriac, and I was dreamily conscious that he was pouring forth interminable trains of symptoms... | Thaddeus is oblivious to Miss Morstan's distress and focuses only on his own problems as they travel to Pondicherry Lodge. |
| Eccentric | Thaddeus fills his house with extravagant decorations. | The richest and glossiest of curtains and tapestries draped the walls, looped back here and there to expose some richly-mounted painting or Oriental vase. | The luxury of Sholto's apartment seems absurd compared with the outward appearance of the house. This insistence on opulence makes him appear eccentric. |
| Nervous | |
|---|---|
| How is Sholto like this? | He seems to be constantly twitching and moving in a nervous manner. |
| Evidence | He writhed his hands together as he stood, and his features were in a perpetual jerk. |
| Analysis | The words 'writhed' and 'jerk' describe awkward and uncomfortable movements, making Thaddeus appear anxious and uncomfortable. |
| Self-obsessed | |
|---|---|
| How is Sholto like this? | Thaddeus worries constantly about his own health. As soon as he discovers that Watson is a doctor, Thaddeus asks him to listen to his heart. |
| Evidence | He was clearly a confirmed hypochondriac, and I was dreamily conscious that he was pouring forth interminable trains of symptoms... |
| Analysis | Thaddeus is oblivious to Miss Morstan's distress and focuses only on his own problems as they travel to Pondicherry Lodge. |
| Eccentric | |
|---|---|
| How is Sholto like this? | Thaddeus fills his house with extravagant decorations. |
| Evidence | The richest and glossiest of curtains and tapestries draped the walls, looped back here and there to expose some richly-mounted painting or Oriental vase. |
| Analysis | The luxury of Sholto's apartment seems absurd compared with the outward appearance of the house. This insistence on opulence makes him appear eccentric. |