Скотный двор

           Asfortheothers,theirlife,sofarastheyknew,wasasithadalwaysbeen. Theyweregenerallyhungry,theysleptonstraw,theydrankfromthepool,theylabouredinthefields;inwintertheyweretroubledbythecold,andinsummerbytheflies. SometimestheolderonesamongthemrackedtheirdimmemoriesandtriedtodeterminewhetherintheearlydaysoftheRebellion,whenJones’sexpulsionwasstillrecent,thingshadbeenbetterorworsethannow. Theycouldnotremember. Therewasnothingwithwhichtheycouldcomparetheirpresentlives:theyhadnothingtogouponexceptSquealer’slistsoffigures,whichinvariablydemonstratedthateverythingwasgettingbetterandbetter. Theanimalsfoundtheprobleminsoluble;inanycase,theyhadlittletimeforspeculatingonsuchthingsnow. OnlyoldBenjaminprofessedtoremembereverydetailofhislonglifeandtoknowthatthingsneverhadbeen,norevercouldbemuchbetterormuchworse—hunger,hardship,anddisappointmentbeing,sohesaid,theunalterablelawoflife. 

           Andyettheanimalsnevergaveuphope. More,theyneverlost,evenforaninstant,theirsenseofhonourandprivilegeinbeingmembersofAnimalFarm. Theywerestilltheonlyfarminthewholecounty—inallEngland!—ownedandoperatedbyanimals. Notoneofthem,noteventheyoungest,noteventhenewcomerswhohadbeenbroughtfromfarmstenortwentymilesaway,everceasedtomarvelatthat. Andwhentheyheardthegunboomingandsawthegreenflagflutteringatthemasthead,theirheartsswelledwithimperishablepride,andthetalkturnedalwaystowardstheoldheroicdays,theexpulsionofJones,thewritingoftheSevenCommandments,thegreatbattlesinwhichthehumaninvadershadbeendefeated. Noneoftheolddreamshadbeenabandoned. TheRepublicoftheAnimalswhichMajorhadforetold,whenthegreenfieldsofEnglandshouldbeuntroddenbyhumanfeet,wasstillbelievedin.