(i) What does rolling and stony mean ? (ii) What is the pocket---book being talked about ? Who has won two races mentioned here ?

Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :

Dancy :  De Levis is known to be rolling, as I am known to be stony.

Canynge : There are a good many people still rolling, besides Mr. De Levis, but not many people with so large a sum in their pocket-books.

Dancy : He won two races.

De Levis : Do you suggest that I bet in ready money ?

(i)  What does rolling and stony mean ?

(ii) What is the pocket---book being talked about ? Who has won two races mentioned here ?

(iii)  ‘He won two races’ Explain ?

(iv)  What is the ready money ? From where did he get the money that was stolen ?

(v)  What does Canynge do soon after and what was his reaction ? What does his discovery prove ?

Answer 1

(i)  Rolling means in money i.e. very rich and stony means short of money or broke i.e. totally penniless. Here De Levis is said to be rolling in money and Dancy doesn’t have money.

(ii) The pocket---book being talked about is the purse of De Levis from which the notes were found missing. De Levis has won two races and has made a lot of money.

(iii)  De Levis was described as the young man who has too much luck. The cheerful Youngman has won two races that day. He is very rich man now. He was also a winner at the game of Bridge. People are rather jealous of this young man who happens to be a Jew.

(iv)  Ready money is the cash that De Levis carries about him. He got the money from Kentman the bookie for the sale of Rosemary filly. He was paid at the paddock.

(v)  Canynge put his hand on Dancy’s arm and puts his hand up to his face in surprise. Later we come to know that Dancy’s coat was wet. The discovery proves that Dancy was out in the rain when the theft took place, contrary to his statement that he was in the hall writing letters.