Скотный двор
Chapter 5
Atfirstnoonehadbeenabletoimaginewherethesecreaturescamefrom,buttheproblemwassoonsolved: theywerethepuppieswhomNapoleonhadtakenawayfromtheirmothersandrearedprivately. Thoughnotyetfull-grown,theywerehugedogs,andasfierce-lookingaswolves. TheykeptclosetoNapoleon. ItwasnoticedthattheywaggedtheirtailstohiminthesamewayastheotherdogshadbeenusedtodotoMr.Jones.
Napoleon,withthedogsfollowinghim,nowmountedontotheraisedportionofthefloorwhereMajorhadpreviouslystoodtodeliverhisspeech. HeannouncedthatfromnowontheSunday-morningMeetingswouldcometoanend. Theywereunnecessary,hesaid,andwastedtime. Infutureallquestionsrelatingtotheworkingofthefarmwouldbesettledbyaspecialcommitteeofpigs,presidedoverbyhimself. Thesewouldmeetinprivateandafterwardscommunicatetheirdecisionstotheothers. TheanimalswouldstillassembleonSundaymorningstosalutetheflag,sing‘BeastsofEngland’,andreceivetheirordersfortheweek;buttherewouldbenomoredebates.
InspiteoftheshockthatSnowball’sexpulsionhadgiventhem,theanimalsweredismayedbythisannouncement. Severalofthemwouldhaveprotestediftheycouldhavefoundtherightarguments. EvenBoxerwasvaguelytroubled. Hesethisearsback,shookhisforelockseveraltimes,andtriedhardtomarshalhisthoughts;butintheendhecouldnotthinkofanythingtosay. Someofthepigsthemselves,however,weremorearticulate. Fouryoungporkersinthefrontrowutteredshrillsquealsofdisapproval,andallfourofthemsprangtotheirfeetandbeganspeakingatonce. ButsuddenlythedogssittingroundNapoleonletoutdeep,menacinggrowls,andthepigsfellsilentandsatdownagain. Thenthesheepbrokeoutintoatremendousbleatingof"Fourlegsgood,twolegsbad!"whichwentonfornearlyaquarterofanhourandputanendtoanychanceofdiscussion.
