Скотный двор
Chapter 8
Acryoflamentationwentup. Strawwaslaiddownoutsidethedoorsofthefarmhouse,andtheanimalswalkedontiptoe. WithtearsintheireyestheyaskedoneanotherwhattheyshoulddoiftheirLeaderweretakenawayfromthem. ArumourwentroundthatSnowballhadafterallcontrivedtointroducepoisonintoNapoleon’sfood. Ateleveno’clockSquealercameouttomakeanotherannouncement. Ashislastactuponearth,ComradeNapoleonhadpronouncedasolemndecree:thedrinkingofalcoholwastobepunishedbydeath.
Bytheevening,however,Napoleonappearedtobesomewhatbetter,andthefollowingmorningSquealerwasabletotellthemthathewaswellonthewaytorecovery. BytheeveningofthatdayNapoleonwasbackatwork,andonthenextdayitwaslearnedthathehadinstructedWhympertopurchaseinWillingdonsomebookletsonbrewinganddistilling. AweeklaterNapoleongaveordersthatthesmallpaddockbeyondtheorchard,whichithadpreviouslybeenintendedtosetasideasagrazing-groundforanimalswhowerepastwork,wastobeploughedup. Itwasgivenoutthatthepasturewasexhaustedandneededre-seeding;butitsoonbecameknownthatNapoleonintendedtosowitwithbarley.
Aboutthistimethereoccurredastrangeincidentwhichhardlyanyonewasabletounderstand. Onenightatabouttwelveo’clocktherewasaloudcrashintheyard,andtheanimalsrushedoutoftheirstalls. Itwasamoonlitnight.Atthefootoftheendwallofthebigbarn,wheretheSevenCommandmentswerewritten,therelayaladderbrokenintwopieces. Squealer,temporarilystunned,wassprawlingbesideit,andnearathandtherelayalantern,apaint-brush,andanoverturnedpotofwhitepaint. ThedogsimmediatelymadearingroundSquealer,andescortedhimbacktothefarmhouseassoonashewasabletowalk.
