The Whitsuntide holidays were late this year, not taking place till the beginning of June, and were protracted¹ till the 9th of that month. On the 8th Lizzie and Mr. Emilius became man and wife, and on that same day Lady Glencora Palliser entertained a large company of guests at Matching Priory. That the Duke of Omnium was there was quite a matter of course. Indeed in these days Lady Glencora seldom separated herself far, or for any long time, from her husband’s uncle, doing her duty to the head of her husband’s family in the most exemplary manner. People, indeed, said that she watched him narrowly, but of persons in high station common people will say anything. It was at any rate certain that she made the declining years of that great nobleman’s life comfortable and decorous. Madame Max Goesler was also at Matching, a lady whose society always gave gratification to the duke. And Mr. Palliser was also there, taking the rest that was so needful to him; by which it must be understood that after having worked all day he was able to eat his dinner and then only write a few letters before going to bed, instead of attending the House of Commons till two or three o’clock in the morning; but his mind was still deep in quints and semi-tenths. His great measure was even now in committee. His hundred and second clause had been carried, with only nine divisions against him of any consequence. Seven of the most material clauses had no doubt been postponed², and the great bone of contention³ as to the two superfluous⁴ farthings still remained before him; nevertheless he fondly hoped that he would be able to send his bill complete to the House of Lords before the end of July. What might be done in the way of amendments⁵ there he had hitherto refused to consider. “If the peers choose to put themselves in opposition⁶ to the whole nation, on a purely⁷ commercial question, the responsibility of all evils that may follow must be at their doors.” This he had said as a commoner. A year or two at the furthest — or more probably a few months — would make him a peer; and then no doubt he would look at the matter in a wholly different light. But he worked at his great measure with a diligence which at any rate deserved success; and he now had with him a whole

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1 protracted
adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 postponed
vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）
参考例句：
The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。 The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 contention
n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张
参考例句：
The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。 The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

4 superfluous
adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的
参考例句：
She fined away superfluous matter in the design. 她删去了这图案中多余的东西。 That request seemed superfluous when I wrote it.我这样写的时候觉得这个请求似乎是多此一举。

5 amendments
（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案
参考例句：
The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。 Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

6 opposition
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。 The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 purely
adv.纯粹地，完全地
参考例句：
I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。 This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

8 bevy
n.一群
参考例句：
A bevy of bathing beauties appeared on the beach.沙滩上出现了一群游泳的美女。 Look,there comes a bevy of ladies.看，一群女人来了。

9 fawn
n.未满周岁的小鹿；v.巴结，奉承
参考例句：
A fawn behind the tree looked at us curiously.树后面一只小鹿好奇地看着我们。 He said you fawn on the manager in order to get a promotion.他说你为了获得提拔，拍经理的马屁。

10 sitting-room
n.（BrE）客厅，起居室
参考例句：
The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。 Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

11 tickled
（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐
参考例句：
We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。 I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。

12 liberate
v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由
参考例句：
They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。 This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。

13 inveighing
v.猛烈抨击，痛骂，谩骂( inveigh的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The speaker was inveighing against the evils of drink. 发言人正在猛烈抨击喝酒的害处。 来自互联网 Letters appear regularly in the newspaper inveighing against the misuse of the English language. 报纸上经常刊登来信猛烈抨击滥用英语的现象。 来自互联网

14 inadequacy
n.无法胜任，信心不足
参考例句：
the inadequacy of our resources 我们的资源的贫乏 The failure is due to the inadequacy of preparations. 这次失败是由于准备不足造成的。

15 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。

16 penitentiary
n.感化院；监狱
参考例句：
He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。 While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候，她的父亲死了，家庭就拆散了。

17 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。

18 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

19 triumphantly
ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地
参考例句：
The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。 Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

20 indicted
控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The senator was indicted for murder. 那位参议员被控犯谋杀罪。 He was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder. 他被大陪审团以两项谋杀罪名起诉。

21 perjury
n.伪证；伪证罪
参考例句：
You'll be punished if you procure the witness to commit perjury.如果你诱使证人作伪证，你要受罚的。 She appeared in court on a perjury charge.她因被指控做了伪证而出庭受审。

22 attained
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。 Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

23 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。

24 rebuke
v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise
参考例句：
He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。 Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

25 fatigued
adj. 疲乏的
参考例句：
The exercises fatigued her. 操练使她感到很疲乏。 The President smiled, with fatigued tolerance for a minor person's naivety. 总统笑了笑，疲惫地表现出对一个下级人员的天真想法的宽容。

26 fascination
n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋
参考例句：
He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。 His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

27 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。