When Watson remarks that Holmes is the benefactor of the human race, Holmes replies with a quote.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, perhaps, after all, it is of some little use,” he remarked. “ ‘L'homme c'est rien—l'oeuvre c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand.” (p. 18)
This is a paraphrase of a famous quote in French which basically translates to: The man is nothing, the work is everything. This quote is intended to demonstrate Holmes’s lack of desire for the spotlight. Although Holmes is snobbish and conceited, and has a very high opinion of himself, he is not a fame-hog. In fact, he would much rather let others take the credit if possible. The puzzle is what matters to him.
My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little problems help me to do so. (p. 18)
Thus Holmes solves cases not to be famous or help others, but to avoid being bored.
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