BBC英国史

Walpole sat at the controlling centre of a vast empire of patronage.

沃波尔奉谕旨坐镇于帝国的权利中心

The jobs at his disposal conferred honour as well as cash on the holder

他所分派的职位不仅位高权重 且油水十足

and they were dangled on a string by the great political puppeteer.

而他任用的官员一举一动都由他幕后操控

In retrospect, we can see that Walpole built Britain's, in fact the world's,

回顾历史 我们不难发现 沃波尔建立了全英 乃至世界

first modern party political machine.

首个现代政党体制

He had placemen in parliament primed to vote as he directed.

他操控议员按照他的意志投票

He had George I and then George II eating out of the palm of his hand.

并将乔治一世和之后的乔治二世 玩弄于股掌之间

And in case anyone was tempted to flirt with the Opposition,

为防止有人与在野党相勾结

he had the kind of information that could make life really difficult for them.

他搜集了众多 对在野党不利的情报

In short, Walpole had the goods.

总之 沃波尔权倾朝野 风光无限

The goods, in fact, in every sense of the word.

他的风光实际上涵盖了各个方面

For as well as looking after the country's interest,

最大化国家利益的同时

Walpole made sure he looked after his own.

沃波尔也努力扩充自己的财富

Just how much of a fortune he made for himself

其敛财数额之巨

is spectacularly on view here at his country house in Norfolk, Houghton Hall.

仅从他位于诺福克的霍顿府邸就可见一斑

Houghton was the Whig Xanadu, the last word in opulence.

霍顿府邸是辉格党的圣地 堂皇富丽

Anything that riches could buy, Walpole bought.

只要钱能买到的 沃波尔都会买

Marble, mahogany, figured damask,shimmering silks and satins, classical sculpture,

大理石 红木 花纹锦缎 绚丽丝绸 传世雕像

glorious Renaissance and Baroque art,all shipped to his East Anglian pleasure dome.

甚至文艺复兴的杰作 巴洛克时期的珍品 都被珍藏于他的东盎格鲁圆顶珍宝室中

词汇解析

1、control

(对机构、地方、体系等的)控制权，支配权

The restructuring involves Mr Ronson giving up control of the company.

这次改组涉及龙森先生放弃对公司的控制权。

The first aim of his government would be to establish control over the republic's territory.

他这届政府的首要目标是确立对共和国领土的控制权。

克制;控制力

He had a terrible temper, and sometimes he would completely lose control.

他的脾气很坏，有时会完全失控。

He was working hard to keep control of himself.

他正努力克制自己。

控制;掌管;管理;统治

He now controls the largest retail development empire in southern California.

他现在掌管着加州南部最大的零售发展企业。

Almost all of the countries in Latin America were controlled by dictators.

当时几乎所有的拉丁美洲国家都由独裁者统治。

2、figure

数字;(尤指)统计数字

It would be very nice if we had a true figure of how many people in this country haven't got a job.

如果我们能得到该国失业人口的真实数字就好了。

It will not be long before the inflation figure starts to fall.

过不了多久，通货膨胀率就会开始下降。

人影;身影

Alistair saw the dim figure of Rose in the chair.

阿利斯泰尔看见了坐在椅子里的罗丝的模糊身影。

She waited, standing on the bridge, until his figure vanished against the grey backdrop of the Palace.

她站在桥上，一直等到他的身影消失在宫殿灰色的阴影中。