This what happens when a man who never looks like or sounds like he's telling a joke tries to joke around with an alien with a suspect grasp of Earth humor. Childermass looks up again, cigarette now in hand, and squints at her for a second or two.

He won't try and explain his bad attempt to be funny, so it's good that she had a follow-up question.

"He collects jewelry," he tells her. "Though I suppose he would be offended to have it called junk."