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House
of Lords: the British Parliament's upper
chamber which includes hereditary peers (nobles) and life peers
as well as bishops
best
club in London: this is a reference to the many exclusive establishments
to which men - and sometimes women these days - can go for all sorts
of reasons: to have a good meal, read newspapers, exchange ideas
or opinions or to play cards
hereditary
members: peers (nobles) who have inherited their titles and
as a result have rights to sit and vote in the House of Lords
convivial:
friendly, a pleasant place to be in
subsidised:
if something is subsidised, it is partly paid for; in this case
by the Government
their
time is up: a way of saying the good times are over, it's the
end of an era
by
virtue of birthright: because of the family someone has been
born into
in
the meantime: until a new system has been decided upon
all
but: the but here means except
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