Скотный двор

           ThisBONMOTsetthetableinaroar;andMr.Pilkingtononceagaincongratulatedthepigsonthelowrations,thelongworkinghours,andthegeneralabsenceofpamperingwhichhehadobservedonAnimalFarm. 

           Andnow,hesaidfinally,hewouldaskthecompanytorisetotheirfeetandmakecertainthattheirglasseswerefull. "Gentlemen,"concludedMr.Pilkington,"gentlemen,Igiveyouatoast: TotheprosperityofAnimalFarm!" 

           Therewasenthusiasticcheeringandstampingoffeet. NapoleonwassogratifiedthathelefthisplaceandcameroundthetabletoclinkhismugagainstMr.Pilkington’sbeforeemptyingit. Whenthecheeringhaddieddown,Napoleon,whohadremainedonhisfeet,intimatedthathetoohadafewwordstosay. 

           LikeallofNapoleon’sspeeches,itwasshortandtothepoint. Hetoo,hesaid,washappythattheperiodofmisunderstandingwasatanend. Foralongtimetherehadbeenrumours—circulated,hehadreasontothink,bysomemalignantenemy—thattherewassomethingsubversiveandevenrevolutionaryintheoutlookofhimselfandhiscolleagues. Theyhadbeencreditedwithattemptingtostiruprebellionamongtheanimalsonneighbouringfarms. Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth! Theirsolewish,nowandinthepast,wastoliveatpeaceandinnormalbusinessrelationswiththeirneighbours. Thisfarmwhichhehadthehonourtocontrol,headded,wasaco-operativeenterprise. Thetitle-deeds,whichwereinhisownpossession,wereownedbythepigsjointly. 

           Hedidnotbelieve,hesaid,thatanyoftheoldsuspicionsstilllingered,butcertainchangeshadbeenmaderecentlyintheroutineofthefarmwhichshouldhavetheeffectofpromotingconfidencestillfurther. Hithertotheanimalsonthefarmhadhadaratherfoolishcustomofaddressingoneanotheras"Comrade." Thiswastobesuppressed.