Скотный двор
Chapter 2
Theirmostfaithfuldiscipleswerethetwocart-horses,BoxerandClover. Thesetwohadgreatdifficultyinthinkinganythingoutforthemselves,buthavingonceacceptedthepigsastheirteachers,theyabsorbedeverythingthattheyweretold,andpasseditontotheotheranimalsbysimplearguments. Theywereunfailingintheirattendanceatthesecretmeetingsinthebarn,andledthesingingof‘BeastsofEngland’,withwhichthemeetingsalwaysended.
Now,asitturnedout,theRebellionwasachievedmuchearlierandmoreeasilythananyonehadexpected. InpastyearsMr.Jones,althoughahardmaster,hadbeenacapablefarmer,butoflatehehadfallenonevildays. Hehadbecomemuchdisheartenedafterlosingmoneyinalawsuit,andhadtakentodrinkingmorethanwasgoodforhim. ForwholedaysatatimehewouldloungeinhisWindsorchairinthekitchen,readingthenewspapers,drinking,andoccasionallyfeedingMosesoncrustsofbreadsoakedinbeer. Hismenwereidleanddishonest,thefieldswerefullofweeds,thebuildingswantedroofing,thehedgeswereneglected,andtheanimalswereunderfed.
Junecameandthehaywasalmostreadyforcutting. OnMidsummer’sEve,whichwasaSaturday,Mr.JoneswentintoWillingdonandgotsodrunkattheRedLionthathedidnotcomebacktillmiddayonSunday. Themenhadmilkedthecowsintheearlymorningandthenhadgoneoutrabbiting,withoutbotheringtofeedtheanimals. WhenMr.Jonesgotbackheimmediatelywenttosleeponthedrawing-roomsofawiththeNewsoftheWorldoverhisface,sothatwheneveningcame,theanimalswerestillunfed. Atlasttheycouldstanditnolonger. Oneofthecowsbrokeinthedoorofthestore-shedwithherhornandalltheanimalsbegantohelpthemselvesfromthebins. ItwasjustthenthatMr.Joneswokeup. Thenextmomentheandhisfourmenwereinthestore-shedwithwhipsintheirhands,lashingoutinalldirections.
