Now, Holmes decides to try and break out of the jail. However, he still isn't successful because he is portrayed as helpless, defenseless and weak. He is sentenced to death and he finally realizes that the only way that he can get out is by using his intuition. He starts out by determining the location of the jail. He hears chimes and bells throughout the jail. He heard all these chimes from different churches that are around the city and from this he figures out that he is in Newgate Prison. Now this is just incredible because Holmes seems to have sharpened and improved his other senses in addition to his eyes. From sounds, he is able to figure out this much. I wonder what else he can figure out from just smaller bits of information.
So, Holmes starts off by using his stare to try and scare the guards. He doesn't succeed with one of them, but he does succeed with one of the guards named Mac. Now Mac is not as evil as the others. Holmes noticed from staring at him that Mac is somewhat more kind-hearted than the others. So, as usual, Holmes uses this weakness to his advantage. He still has the same intuition, he can figure out a person's history just from observing them. Holmes notices that Mac is a former Corporal from the Battle of Omdurman. He even figures out that Mac tried to marry someone and this really freaks him out. He eventually turns Mac to his side and makes an ally out of him. And Holmes asks for water and burnt biscuits. What's really interesting is that he observes all the intervals in which the guards check on the prisoners and he works his magic then. He opened the gas chamber and let the room he was in fill with gas while a guard was in there. He used the burnt biscuits and a pillowcase to make a respirator and from what he has seen of the jail, decides what to do next. Now this is very interesting because Holmes is a very good improvisor. He uses what he has and makes something of it. Also, he seems to know everything and things just come naturally to him, especially knowledge.
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I think this intuition and small information motif is similar to I think it was the previous book in the beginning when Holmes would figure out the smallest things with the least amount of information. I knew Holmes could not have possibly died through the drugging. I also beleive that although Holmes was portrayed as weak, his overcomming of such a stage shows his resiliance as a human being to destruction and failure.
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