Скотный двор

           ThefouryoungpigswhohadprotestedwhenNapoleonabolishedtheMeetingsraisedtheirvoicestimidly,buttheywerepromptlysilencedbyatremendousgrowlingfromthedogs. Then,asusual,thesheepbrokeinto"Fourlegsgood,twolegsbad!"andthemomentaryawkwardnesswassmoothedover. FinallyNapoleonraisedhistrotterforsilenceandannouncedthathehadalreadymadeallthearrangements. Therewouldbenoneedforanyoftheanimalstocomeincontactwithhumanbeings,whichwouldclearlybemostundesirable. Heintendedtotakethewholeburdenuponhisownshoulders. AMr.Whymper,asolicitorlivinginWillingdon,hadagreedtoactasintermediarybetweenAnimalFarmandtheoutsideworld,andwouldvisitthefarmeveryMondaymorningtoreceivehisinstructions. Napoleonendedhisspeechwithhisusualcryof"LongliveAnimalFarm!"andafterthesingingof‘BeastsofEngland’theanimalsweredismissed. 

           AfterwardsSquealermadearoundofthefarmandsettheanimals’mindsatrest. Heassuredthemthattheresolutionagainstengagingintradeandusingmoneyhadneverbeenpassed,orevensuggested. Itwaspureimagination,probablytraceableinthebeginningtoliescirculatedbySnowball. Afewanimalsstillfeltfaintlydoubtful,butSquealeraskedthemshrewdly, "Areyoucertainthatthisisnotsomethingthatyouhavedreamed,comrades? Haveyouanyrecordofsucharesolution? Isitwrittendownanywhere?" Andsinceitwascertainlytruethatnothingofthekindexistedinwriting,theanimalsweresatisfiedthattheyhadbeenmistaken. 

           EveryMondayMr.Whympervisitedthefarmashadbeenarranged. Hewasasly-lookinglittlemanwithsidewhiskers,asolicitorinaverysmallwayofbusiness,butsharpenoughtohaverealisedearlierthananyoneelsethatAnimalFarmwouldneedabrokerandthatthecommissionswouldbeworthhaving. Theanimalswatchedhiscomingandgoingwithakindofdread,andavoidedhimasmuchaspossible.