Скотний двір
Chapter 6
Withoneaccordtheydasheddowntothespot. Napoleon,whoseldommovedoutofawalk,racedaheadofthemall. Yes,thereitlay,thefruitofalltheirstruggles,levelledtoitsfoundations,thestonestheyhadbrokenandcarriedsolaboriouslyscatteredallaround. Unableatfirsttospeak,theystoodgazingmournfullyatthelitteroffallenstone. Napoleonpacedtoandfroinsilence,occasionallysnuffingattheground. Histailhadgrownrigidandtwitchedsharplyfromsidetoside,asigninhimofintensementalactivity. Suddenlyhehaltedasthoughhismindweremadeup.
"Comrades,"hesaidquietly,"doyouknowwhoisresponsibleforthis? Doyouknowtheenemywhohascomeinthenightandoverthrownourwindmill? SNOWBALL!"hesuddenlyroaredinavoiceofthunder. "Snowballhasdonethisthing! Insheermalignity,thinkingtosetbackourplansandavengehimselfforhisignominiousexpulsion,thistraitorhascrepthereundercoverofnightanddestroyedourworkofnearlyayear. Comrades,hereandnowIpronouncethedeathsentenceuponSnowball. ‘AnimalHero,SecondClass,’andhalfabushelofapplestoanyanimalwhobringshimtojustice. Afullbusheltoanyonewhocaptureshimalive!"
TheanimalswereshockedbeyondmeasuretolearnthatevenSnowballcouldbeguiltyofsuchanaction. Therewasacryofindignation,andeveryonebeganthinkingoutwaysofcatchingSnowballifheshouldevercomeback. Almostimmediatelythefootprintsofapigwerediscoveredinthegrassatalittledistancefromtheknoll. Theycouldonlybetracedforafewyards,butappearedtoleadtoaholeinthehedge. NapoleonsnuffeddeeplyatthemandpronouncedthemtobeSnowball’s. HegaveitashisopinionthatSnowballhadprobablycomefromthedirectionofFoxwoodFarm.
"Nomoredelays,comrades!"criedNapoleonwhenthefootprintshadbeenexamined. "Thereisworktobedone.
