Скотный двор

           AtthisSnowballsprangtohisfeet,andshoutingdownthesheep,whohadbegunbleatingagain,brokeintoapassionateappealinfavourofthewindmill. Untilnowtheanimalshadbeenaboutequallydividedintheirsympathies,butinamomentSnowball’seloquencehadcarriedthemaway. InglowingsentenceshepaintedapictureofAnimalFarmasitmightbewhensordidlabourwasliftedfromtheanimals’backs. Hisimaginationhadnowrunfarbeyondchaff-cuttersandturnip-slicers. Electricity,hesaid,couldoperatethreshingmachines,ploughs,harrows,rollers,andreapersandbinders,besidessupplyingeverystallwithitsownelectriclight,hotandcoldwater,andanelectricheater. Bythetimehehadfinishedspeaking,therewasnodoubtastowhichwaythevotewouldgo. ButjustatthismomentNapoleonstoodupand,castingapeculiarsidelonglookatSnowball,utteredahigh-pitchedwhimperofakindnoonehadeverheardhimutterbefore. 

           Atthistherewasaterriblebayingsoundoutside,andnineenormousdogswearingbrass-studdedcollarscameboundingintothebarn. TheydashedstraightforSnowball,whoonlysprangfromhisplacejustintimetoescapetheirsnappingjaws. Inamomenthewasoutofthedoorandtheywereafterhim. Tooamazedandfrightenedtospeak,alltheanimalscrowdedthroughthedoortowatchthechase. Snowballwasracingacrossthelongpasturethatledtotheroad. Hewasrunningasonlyapigcanrun,butthedogswerecloseonhisheels. Suddenlyheslippedanditseemedcertainthattheyhadhim. Thenhewasupagain,runningfasterthanever,thenthedogsweregainingonhimagain. OneofthemallbutclosedhisjawsonSnowball’stail,butSnowballwhiskeditfreejustintime. Thenheputonanextraspurtand,withafewinchestospare,slippedthroughaholeinthehedgeandwasseennomore. 

           Silentandterrified,theanimalscreptbackintothebarn. Inamomentthedogscameboundingback.