Скотний двір

Chapter 8

           AllrelationswithFoxwoodhadbeenbrokenoff;insultingmessageshadbeensenttoPilkington. ThepigeonshadbeentoldtoavoidPinchfieldFarmandtoaltertheirsloganfrom"DeathtoFrederick"to"DeathtoPilkington." AtthesametimeNapoleonassuredtheanimalsthatthestoriesofanimpendingattackonAnimalFarmwerecompletelyuntrue,andthatthetalesaboutFrederick’scrueltytohisownanimalshadbeengreatlyexaggerated. AlltheserumourshadprobablyoriginatedwithSnowballandhisagents. ItnowappearedthatSnowballwasnot,afterall,hidingonPinchfieldFarm,andinfacthadneverbeenthereinhislife:hewaslivinginconsiderableluxury,soitwassaidatFoxwood,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. 

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