Also, after reading the comment above this one I went back and reread Watson's part of the story, and realised I'd somehow missed this part when I first read it:
How can I say it – I had to think of something to make it possible, I could hardly pretend it was a woman’s body under my hands and mouth. I thought of my friend lying out there – so that I should not lose sight of why I must continue, you see – but that is not all. I thought, if this were Holmes –
no subject
Also, after reading the comment above this one I went back and reread Watson's part of the story, and realised I'd somehow missed this part when I first read it:
How can I say it – I had to think of something to make it possible, I could hardly pretend it was a woman’s body under my hands and mouth. I thought of my friend lying out there – so that I should not lose sight of why I must continue, you see – but that is not all. I thought, if this were Holmes –
OH. MY. GOD.