Скотный двор

           Presentlythetumultdieddown. Thefourpigswaited,trembling,withguiltwrittenoneverylineoftheircountenances. Napoleonnowcalleduponthemtoconfesstheircrimes. TheywerethesamefourpigsashadprotestedwhenNapoleonabolishedtheSundayMeetings. WithoutanyfurtherpromptingtheyconfessedthattheyhadbeensecretlyintouchwithSnowballeversincehisexpulsion,thattheyhadcollaboratedwithhimindestroyingthewindmill,andthattheyhadenteredintoanagreementwithhimtohandoverAnimalFarmtoMr.Frederick. TheyaddedthatSnowballhadprivatelyadmittedtothemthathehadbeenJones’ssecretagentforyearspast. Whentheyhadfinishedtheirconfession,thedogspromptlytoretheirthroatsout,andinaterriblevoiceNapoleondemandedwhetheranyotheranimalhadanythingtoconfess. 

           ThethreehenswhohadbeentheringleadersintheattemptedrebellionovertheeggsnowcameforwardandstatedthatSnowballhadappearedtotheminadreamandincitedthemtodisobeyNapoleon’sorders. They,too,wereslaughtered. Thenagoosecameforwardandconfessedtohavingsecretedsixearsofcornduringthelastyear’sharvestandeatentheminthenight. Thenasheepconfessedtohavingurinatedinthedrinkingpool—urgedtodothis,soshesaid,bySnowball—andtwoothersheepconfessedtohavingmurderedanoldram,anespeciallydevotedfollowerofNapoleon,bychasinghimroundandroundabonfirewhenhewassufferingfromacough. Theywereallslainonthespot. Andsothetaleofconfessionsandexecutionswenton,untiltherewasapileofcorpseslyingbeforeNapoleon’sfeetandtheairwasheavywiththesmellofblood,whichhadbeenunknowntheresincetheexpulsionofJones. 

           Whenitwasallover,theremaininganimals,exceptforthepigsanddogs,creptawayinabody. Theywereshakenandmiserable.