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He won't talk. He never talks. One's lucky to get as much as a yes or no out of him.
— Lucy Honeychurch · A Room with a View
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker complains that a man refuses to speak. According to them he never talks, and even a plain yes or no is a lucky yield. The tone is exasperated, describing conversation with him as an effort with almost nothing returned.
Context reviewed