Kitabı oku: «Скотный двор / Animal Farm», sayfa 14

The animals were shocked to learn that Snowball was guilty of such an action. There was a cry of indignation, and everyone began to think: how to catch Snowball. Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll. They led to a hole in the hedge. Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball’s. Snowball probably came from the direction of Foxwood Farm.

«No more delays, comrades!» cried Napoleon. «There is much work for us. This very morning we begin to rebuild the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine. We will teach this miserable traitor that he cannot undo our work so easily. Remember, comrades, there must be no alteration in our plans. Forward, comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!»

Chapter VII

It was a bitter winter. The stormy weather, sleet and snow, and then by a hard frost. The animals knew that the outside world was watching them. The envious human beings will rejoice and triumph if the mill is not finished on time.

The human beings did not believe that it was Snowball who had destroyed the windmill. They said that the walls were too thin. The animals knew that this was not the case. Still, they decided to build the walls three feet thick this time instead of eighteen inches as before. For a long time the quarry was full of snowdrifts and they did nothing. Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather, but it was cruel work. The animals were always cold, and usually hungry as well. Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour, but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer’s cry «I will work harder!»

In January they did not have enough food. The corn ration was drastically reduced. The potato crop was frosted in the clamps. The potatoes became soft and discoloured, and only a few were edible. For days the animals had nothing to eat but chaff and mangels. Starvation stared them in the face.

It was vitally necessary to conceal this fact from the outside world. The human beings were inventing fresh lies about Animal Farm. Once again they said that all the animals were dying of famine and disease, and that they were continually fighting among themselves and resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. Napoleon decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression. Hitherto the animals had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to remark casually before him that rations were increased. In addition, Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins in the store-shed to be filled with sand, which was then covered up with the grain and meal. They led Whymper through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm.

Nevertheless, towards the end of January it became obvious that it was necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. In these days Napoleon rarely appeared in public, but spent all his time in the farmhouse, which was guarded at each door by fierce-looking dogs. An escort of six dogs closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near. Frequently he did not even appear on Sunday mornings, but issued his orders through one of the other pigs, usually Squealer.

One Sunday morning Squealer announced that the hens must surrender their eggs. Napoleon accepted, through Whymper, a contract for four hundred eggs a week. So they will be able to buy enough grain and meal.

When the hens heard this, they raised a terrible outcry. They knew that this sacrifice might be necessary, but did not believe that it would really happen. To take the eggs away now was murder! For the first time since the expulsion of Jones, there was a rebellion. Led by three young Black Minorca pullets, the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon’s wishes. Their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs, which smashed to pieces on the floor. Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. He ordered the hens’ rations to be stopped, and decreed that any animal that was giving them a grain of cornshould be punished by death²⁵. The hens capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes. Nine hens died in the meantime. Their bodies were buried in the orchard; the pigs said that the hens had died of coccidiosis. Whymper heard nothing of this affair, and the eggs were duly delivered.

Nobody saw Snowball. They said he was hiding on one of the neighbouring farms, either Foxwood or Pinchfield. Napoleon was by this time on better terms with the other farmers than before. There was in the yard a pile of timber. Whymper advised Napoleon to sell it; both Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick were anxious to buy it. Napoleon was hesitating between the two, unable to decide.

Suddenly, early in the spring, they said that Snowball was secretly frequenting the farm by night! The animals were so disturbed that they could hardly sleep in their stalls. Every night, it was said, he was creeping in under cover of darkness and performed all kinds of mischief. He stole the corn, he upset the milk-pails, he broke the eggs, he trampled the seedbeds, he gnawed the bark off the fruit trees. Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it. When the key of the store-shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. They believed this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. The cows declared unanimously that Snowball crept into their stalls and milked them in their sleep. They said that the rats, which were troublesome that winter, were Snowball’s friends.