Скотный двор
Chapter 8
Threedayslatertherewasaterriblehullabaloo. Whymper,hisfacedeadlypale,cameracingupthepathonhisbicycle,flungitdownintheyardandrushedstraightintothefarmhouse. ThenextmomentachokingroarofragesoundedfromNapoleon’sapartments. Thenewsofwhathadhappenedspedroundthefarmlikewildfire. Thebanknoteswereforgeries! Frederickhadgotthetimberfornothing!
NapoleoncalledtheanimalstogetherimmediatelyandinaterriblevoicepronouncedthedeathsentenceuponFrederick. Whencaptured,hesaid,Frederickshouldbeboiledalive. Atthesametimehewarnedthemthatafterthistreacherousdeedtheworstwastobeexpected. Frederickandhismenmightmaketheirlong-expectedattackatanymoment. Sentinelswereplacedatalltheapproachestothefarm. Inaddition,fourpigeonsweresenttoFoxwoodwithaconciliatorymessage,whichitwashopedmightre-establishgoodrelationswithPilkington.
Theverynextmorningtheattackcame. Theanimalswereatbreakfastwhenthelook-outscameracinginwiththenewsthatFrederickandhisfollowershadalreadycomethroughthefive-barredgate. Boldlyenoughtheanimalssalliedforthtomeetthem,butthistimetheydidnothavetheeasyvictorythattheyhadhadintheBattleoftheCowshed. Therewerefifteenmen,withhalfadozengunsbetweenthem,andtheyopenedfireassoonastheygotwithinfiftyyards. Theanimalscouldnotfacetheterribleexplosionsandthestingingpellets,andinspiteoftheeffortsofNapoleonandBoxertorallythem,theyweresoondrivenback. Anumberofthemwerealreadywounded. Theytookrefugeinthefarmbuildingsandpeepedcautiouslyoutfromchinksandknot-holes. Thewholeofthebigpasture,includingthewindmill,wasinthehandsoftheenemy. ForthemomentevenNapoleonseemedataloss. Hepacedupanddownwithoutaword,histailrigidandtwitching. WistfulglancesweresentinthedirectionofFoxwood.
