The other man eases up, and Sherlock wonders briefly at what makes some people soften and others not: towards him, specifically, and towards his particular brand of candor. It makes him think of John, somewhat and incongruously; more than that, however, it makes him think of Gregory Lestrade. It wouldn't be accurate to say that Lestrade never took anything personally; it would be more accurate to say that Lestrade readily let go of any rancor. Lestrade took Sherlock in context. It'd probably be too much to say that he took him in stride.
The comparison ends there, naturally: this man has nothing in common with an ordinary Metropolitan Police detective inspector. But it gives Sherlock a flicker of homesickness, and... regret, is that what he's identifying? And now, offered the chance to back away from his careening train of conversation and into more comfortable territory, he does, pausing for a long moment to consider his words.
"The way your nerve damage radiates, rather than being a bit more centralized," he says with a nod to Finch. He doubts he has to explain the man's disability to himself, so he doesn't: falling instead to, "To answer your true question, it's a matter of observing enough case studies of bomb and automobile crash survivors. Once you've examined the patterns, they become evident in individual cases. I've had reason to study both." His mouth takes on a wry twist. "It's a matter of research. As you see, the trick is not so impressive once the magician explains it."
no subject
The comparison ends there, naturally: this man has nothing in common with an ordinary Metropolitan Police detective inspector. But it gives Sherlock a flicker of homesickness, and... regret, is that what he's identifying? And now, offered the chance to back away from his careening train of conversation and into more comfortable territory, he does, pausing for a long moment to consider his words.
"The way your nerve damage radiates, rather than being a bit more centralized," he says with a nod to Finch. He doubts he has to explain the man's disability to himself, so he doesn't: falling instead to, "To answer your true question, it's a matter of observing enough case studies of bomb and automobile crash survivors. Once you've examined the patterns, they become evident in individual cases. I've had reason to study both." His mouth takes on a wry twist. "It's a matter of research. As you see, the trick is not so impressive once the magician explains it."