maigres, limited

il eut recours a la caisse du cercle, he applied for funds to the cashier of the club. In the English clubs, where gambling is allowed, there is nothing corresponding to the ^caisse du cercle,' winnings or losses being settled either in cash or by chèques.

20. ses différences, his débit ; here, his loss ; lit. the différence between his winnings and losses.

22. guigne noire, awful bad luck. Guigne is a popular and familiar form of guignon. Ex. avoir du guignon, to hâve bad luck ; c'est jouer de guignon, this is really bad luck ; porter du guignon à quelqu'un, to bring one ill-luck; etc. — Guignon cornes from guigner (to leer, to glance at, to hâve one’s eye on), and by its meaning is connected with the idea of ‘ to hâve an evil eye,’ ‘ to bewitch.’

2 3. taillait comme un sourd et pontait comme un aveugle, was dealing his cards and punting(^.é. staking) most rashly. These words tailler and ponter (gambling expressions) are used, the former when speaking of the banker who, in certain gaines, deals the cards and plays against ail the others ; and the latter, in reference to those who stake money (or punt) against him.—The words sourd and aveugle are, of course, used here with a slightly distorted meaning. Frapper comme un sourd, to beat unrnercifully ; crier comme un sourd (or comme un aveugle), to call out as loud as one can, to shriek.

26. culotte définitive, net loss. With this particular meaning culotte is a slang term used by gamblers. The usual meaning of the word is ‘ breeches ’ ; hence the mild pun contained in Bachelin’s answer : c'était de l'étoffe chère.

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ï. mon Dieu, certaînly; it is true; indeed. This expression, which bas not the same force in Frencb as it would bave in Englisb, if translated literally, is frequently used as a mere exclamation expressing surprise, fear, pain, etc.