Скотный двор

           Onceagainitwasbeingputaboutthatalltheanimalsweredyingoffamineanddisease,andthattheywerecontinuallyfightingamongthemselvesandhadresortedtocannibalismandinfanticide. Napoleonwaswellawareofthebadresultsthatmightfollowiftherealfactsofthefoodsituationwereknown,andhedecidedtomakeuseofMr.Whympertospreadacontraryimpression. HithertotheanimalshadhadlittleornocontactwithWhymperonhisweeklyvisits:now,however,afewselectedanimals,mostlysheep,wereinstructedtoremarkcasuallyinhishearingthatrationshadbeenincreased. Inaddition,Napoleonorderedthealmostemptybinsinthestore-shedtobefillednearlytothebrimwithsand,whichwasthencoveredupwithwhatremainedofthegrainandmeal. OnsomesuitablepretextWhymperwasledthroughthestore-shedandallowedtocatchaglimpseofthebins. Hewasdeceived,andcontinuedtoreporttotheoutsideworldthattherewasnofoodshortageonAnimalFarm. 

           Nevertheless,towardstheendofJanuaryitbecameobviousthatitwouldbenecessarytoprocuresomemoregrainfromsomewhere. InthesedaysNapoleonrarelyappearedinpublic,butspentallhistimeinthefarmhouse,whichwasguardedateachdoorbyfierce-lookingdogs. Whenhedidemerge,itwasinaceremonialmanner,withanescortofsixdogswhocloselysurroundedhimandgrowledifanyonecametoonear. FrequentlyhedidnotevenappearonSundaymornings,butissuedhisordersthroughoneoftheotherpigs,usuallySquealer. 

           OneSundaymorningSquealerannouncedthatthehens,whohadjustcomeintolayagain,mustsurrendertheireggs. Napoleonhadaccepted,throughWhymper,acontractforfourhundredeggsaweek. Thepriceofthesewouldpayforenoughgrainandmealtokeepthefarmgoingtillsummercameonandconditionswereeasier.