Childermass understands what is not being said, here, as well as what is. Coward and Vrinak, and scattered Daybreak support besides, it is something. But it is not enough. It will not be enough to win against the fae as a whole. Midnight as a whole. No matter how powerful they may be as individuals.

"And what do you intend to do about that?" he asks. Because he has to ask. Sometimes it is necessary to talk Norrell through his problems to get him to face up to them at all, and he suspects that now might very well be one of those times.