Zia settled for a quiet, nonforcing (because he was a passed hand) two-diamond response.

Was he the reason for the bitterness that seemed to marble her character?

[…] hunger, fatigue, and despairing hopelessness had numbed his brain […]

Dennis captured the speech rhythms and humour of ordinary Australians, their gift of 'chiack', and their deflection of adversity with a ready joke.