Скотный двор

           "Thatwasourmistake,comrade. Forweknownow—itisallwrittendowninthesecretdocumentsthatwehavefound—thatinrealityhewastryingtolureustoourdoom." 

           "Buthewaswounded,"saidBoxer."Weallsawhimrunningwithblood." 

           "Thatwaspartofthearrangement!"criedSquealer. "Jones’sshotonlygrazedhim. Icouldshowyouthisinhisownwriting,ifyouwereabletoreadit. TheplotwasforSnowball,atthecriticalmoment,togivethesignalforflightandleavethefieldtotheenemy. Andheverynearlysucceeded—Iwillevensay,comrades,heWOULDhavesucceededifithadnotbeenforourheroicLeader,ComradeNapoleon. Doyounotrememberhow,justatthemomentwhenJonesandhismenhadgotinsidetheyard,Snowballsuddenlyturnedandfled,andmanyanimalsfollowedhim? Anddoyounotremember,too,thatitwasjustatthatmoment,whenpanicwasspreadingandallseemedlost,thatComradeNapoleonsprangforwardwithacryof‘DeathtoHumanity!’andsankhisteethinJones’sleg? SurelyyourememberTHAT,comrades?"exclaimedSquealer,friskingfromsidetoside. 

           NowwhenSquealerdescribedthescenesographically,itseemedtotheanimalsthattheydidrememberit. Atanyrate,theyrememberedthatatthecriticalmomentofthebattleSnowballhadturnedtoflee. ButBoxerwasstillalittleuneasy. 

           "IdonotbelievethatSnowballwasatraitoratthebeginning,"hesaidfinally. "Whathehasdonesinceisdifferent. ButIbelievethatattheBattleoftheCowshedhewasagoodcomrade." 

           "OurLeader,ComradeNapoleon,"announcedSquealer,speakingveryslowlyandfirmly,"hasstatedcategorically—categorically,comrade—thatSnowballwasJones’sagentfromtheverybeginning—yes,andfromlongbeforetheRebellionwaseverthoughtof."