Alice found herself seated near to Lady Glencora’s end of the table, and, in spite of her resolution to like Mr Palliser, she was not sorry that such an arrangement had been made. Mr Palliser had taken the Duchess out to dinner, and Alice wished to be as far removed as possible from Her Grace. She found herself seated between her bespoken¹ friend Jeffrey Palliser and the Duke, and as soon as she was seated Lady Glencora introduced her to her second neighbour. “My cousin, Duke,” Lady Glencora said, “and a terrible Radical³.”

“Oh, indeed; I’m glad of that. We’re sadly in want of a few leading Radicals⁴, and perhaps I may be able to gain one now.”

Alice thought of her cousin George, and wished that he, instead of herself, was sitting next to the Duke of St Bungay. “But I’m afraid I never shall be a leading Radical,” she said.

“You shall lead me at any rate, if you will,” said he.

“As the little dogs lead the blind men,” said Lady Glencora.

“No, Lady Glencora, not so. But as the pretty women lead the men who have eyes in their head. There is nothing I want so much, Miss Vavasor, as to become a Radical — if I only knew how.”

“I think it’s very easy to know how,” said Alice.

“Do you? I don’t. I’ve voted for every Liberal measure that has come seriously before Parliament since I had a seat in either House, and I’ve not been able to get beyond Whiggery yet.”

“Have you voted for the ballot⁵?” asked Alice, almost trembling at her own audacity⁶ as she put the question.

“Well; no, I’ve not. And I suppose that is the crux⁷. But the ballot has never been seriously brought before any House in which I have sat. I hate it with so keen a private hatred⁸, that I doubt whether I could vote for it.”

“But the Radicals love it,” said Alice.

点击收听单词发音  

1 bespoken
v.预定( bespeak的过去分词 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求
参考例句：
We have bespoken three tickets for tomorrow. 我们已经预定了三张明天的票。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We have bespoken two tickets for tomorrow. 我们已预订两张明天的票。 来自互联网

2 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 radical
n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的
参考例句：
The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。 She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

4 radicals
n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数
参考例句：
Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

5 ballot
n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票
参考例句：
The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。 The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 audacity
n.大胆，卤莽，无礼
参考例句：
He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。 He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

7 crux
adj.十字形；难事，关键，最重要点
参考例句：
The crux of the matter is how to comprehensively treat this trend.问题的关键是如何全面地看待这种趋势。 The crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed.问题的要害是人们的态度转变了。

8 hatred
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。 The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

9 chancellor
n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长
参考例句：
They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。 He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

10 exchequer
n.财政部；国库
参考例句：
In Britain the Chancellor of the Exchequer deals with taxes and government spending.英国的财政大臣负责税务和政府的开支。 This resulted in a considerable loss to the exchequer.这使国库遭受了重大损失。

11 specially
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。 The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

12 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

13 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

14 pretension
n.要求；自命，自称；自负
参考例句：
I make no pretension to skill as an artist,but I enjoy painting.我并不自命有画家的技巧，但我喜欢绘画。 His action is a satire on his boastful pretension.他的行动是对他自我卖弄的一个讽刺。

15 rivalry
n.竞争，竞赛，对抗
参考例句：
The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。 He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

16 jealousy
n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌
参考例句：
Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。 I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

17 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

18 prospering
成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。 His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。

19 larder
n.食物贮藏室，食品橱
参考例句：
Please put the food into the larder.请将您地食物放进食物柜内。 They promised never to raid the larder again.他们答应不再随便开食橱拿东西吃了。

20 larders
n.（家中的）食物贮藏室，食物橱( larder的名词复数 )
参考例句：

21 divest
v.脱去，剥除
参考例句：
I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。 He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

22 reverence
n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统，但不被传统所束缚。

23 upwards
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。 The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

24 sarcastic
adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的
参考例句：
I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。 She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

25 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

26 interfere
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。 When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

27 billiards
n.台球
参考例句：
John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。 Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

28 mace
n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮
参考例句：
The sword and mace were favourite weapons for hand-to-hand fighting.剑和狼牙棒是肉搏战的最佳武器。 She put some mace into the meat.她往肉里加了一些肉豆蔻干皮。

29 heartily
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。 The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

30 majestically
雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地
参考例句：
The waters of the Changjiang River rolled to the east on majestically. 雄伟的长江滚滚东流。 Towering snowcapped peaks rise majestically. 白雪皑皑的山峰耸入云霄。

31 cannon
n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
参考例句：
The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。 The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

32 defrauded
v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He defrauded his employers of thousands of dollars. 他诈取了他的雇主一大笔钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He defrauded them of their money. 他骗走了他们的钱。 来自辞典例句

33 triumphant
adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的
参考例句：
The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。 There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

34 trumped
v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造
参考例句：
That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 longing
n.（for）渴望
参考例句：
Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。 His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

36 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

37 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

38 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

39 shudder
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。 We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

40 enticed
诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He enticed his former employer into another dice game. 他挑逗他原来的老板再赌一次掷骰子。 Consumers are courted, enticed, and implored by sellers of goods and services. 消费者受到商品和劳务出售者奉承，劝诱和央求。

41 maze
n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑
参考例句：
He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。 She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。