Скотный двор
Chapter 8
AllrelationswithFoxwoodhadbeenbrokenoff;insultingmessageshadbeensenttoPilkington. ThepigeonshadbeentoldtoavoidPinchfieldFarmandtoaltertheirsloganfrom"DeathtoFrederick"to"DeathtoPilkington." AtthesametimeNapoleonassuredtheanimalsthatthestoriesofanimpendingattackonAnimalFarmwerecompletelyuntrue,andthatthetalesaboutFrederick’scrueltytohisownanimalshadbeengreatlyexaggerated. AlltheserumourshadprobablyoriginatedwithSnowballandhisagents. ItnowappearedthatSnowballwasnot,afterall,hidingonPinchfieldFarm,andinfacthadneverbeenthereinhislife:hewasliving—inconsiderableluxury,soitwassaid—atFoxwood,andhadinrealitybeenapensionerofPilkingtonforyearspast.
ThepigswereinecstasiesoverNapoleon’scunning. ByseemingtobefriendlywithPilkingtonhehadforcedFredericktoraisehispricebytwelvepounds. ButthesuperiorqualityofNapoleon’smind,saidSquealer,wasshowninthefactthathetrustednobody,notevenFrederick. Frederickhadwantedtopayforthetimberwithsomethingcalledacheque,which,itseemed,wasapieceofpaperwithapromisetopaywrittenuponit. ButNapoleonwastoocleverforhim.Hehaddemandedpaymentinrealfive-poundnotes,whichweretobehandedoverbeforethetimberwasremoved. AlreadyFrederickhadpaidup;andthesumhehadpaidwasjustenoughtobuythemachineryforthewindmill.
Meanwhilethetimberwasbeingcartedawayathighspeed. Whenitwasallgone,anotherspecialmeetingwasheldinthebarnfortheanimalstoinspectFrederick’sbank-notes. Smilingbeatifically,andwearingbothhisdecorations,Napoleonreposedonabedofstrawontheplatform,withthemoneyathisside,neatlypiledonachinadishfromthefarmhousekitchen. Theanimalsfiledslowlypast,andeachgazedhisfill. AndBoxerputouthisnosetosniffatthebank-notes,andtheflimsywhitethingsstirredandrustledinhisbreath.
