動物莊園：Chapter 4

By the late summer the news of what had happened on Animal Farm had spread across half the county. Every day Snowball and Napoleon sent out flights of pigeons whose instructions were to mingle with the animals on neighbouring farms, tell them the story of the Rebellion, and teach them the tune of 'Beasts of England'.

到了那里夏末，有關動物莊園里種種事件的消息，已經(jīng)傳遍了半個國家。每一天，斯諾鮑和拿破侖都要放出一群鴿子。鴿子的任務是混入附近莊園的動物中，告訴他們起義的史實，教他們唱“英格蘭獸”。

Most of this time Mr. Jones had spent sitting in the taproom of the Red Lion at Willingdon, complaining to anyone who would listen of the monstrous injustice he had suffered in being turned out of his property by a pack of good-for-nothing animals. The other farmers sympathised in principle, but they did not at first give him much help. At heart, each of them was secretly wondering whether he could not somehow turn Jones's misfortune to his own advantage. It was lucky that the owners of the two farms which adjoined Animal Farm were on permanently bad terms. One of them, which was named Foxwood, was a large, neglected, old-fashioned farm, much overgrown by woodland, with all its pastures worn out and its hedges in a disgraceful condition. Its owner, Mr. Pilkington, was an easy-going gentleman farmer who spent most of his time in fishing or hunting according to the season. The other farm, which was called Pinchfield, was smaller and better kept. Its owner was a Mr. Frederick, a tough, shrewd man, perpetually involved in lawsuits and with a name for driving hard bargains. These two disliked each other so much that it was difficult for them to come to any agreement, even in defence of their own interests.

這個時期，瓊斯先生把大部分時間都在泡在威靈頓雷德蘭的酒吧間了。他心懷著被區(qū)區(qū)畜牲攆出家園的痛苦，每逢有人愿意聽，他就訴說一通他的冤屈。別的莊園主基本上同情他，但起初沒有給他太多幫助。他們都在心里暗暗尋思，看是否能多少從瓊斯的不幸中給自己撈到什么好處。幸而，與動物莊園毗鄰的兩個莊園關系一直很差。一個叫作?？怂刮榈虑f園，面積不小，卻照管得很差。廣闊的田地里盡是荒蕪的牧場和丟人現(xiàn)眼的樹籬。莊園主皮爾金頓先生是一位隨和的鄉(xiāng)紳，隨著季節(jié)不同，他不是釣魚消閑，就是去打獵度日。另一個叫作平徹菲爾德莊園，小一點，但照料得不錯。它的主人是弗雷德里克先生，一個精明的硬漢子，卻總是牽扯在官司中，落了個好斤斤計較的名聲。這兩個人向來不和，誰也不買誰的帳，即使事關他們的共同利益，他們也是如此。

Nevertheless, they were both thoroughly frightened by the rebellion on Animal Farm, and very anxious to prevent their own animals from learning too much about it. At first they pretended to laugh to scorn the idea of animals managing a farm for themselves. The whole thing would be over in a fortnight, they said. They put it about that the animals on the Manor Farm (they insisted on calling it the Manor Farm; they would not tolerate the name "Animal Farm") were perpetually fighting among themselves and were also rapidly starving to death. When time passed and the animals had evidently not starved to death, Frederick and Pilkington changed their tune and began to talk of the terrible wickedness that now flourished on Animal Farm. It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common. This was what came of rebelling against the laws of Nature, Frederick and Pilkington said.

話雖如此，可是這一次，他們倆都被動物莊園的造反行動徹底嚇壞了，急不可待地要對他們自己莊園里的動物封鎖這方面的消息。開始的時候，他們對動物們自己管理莊園的想法故作嘲笑與蔑視。他們說，整個事態(tài)兩周內(nèi)就會結(jié)束。他們散布說，曼納莊園(他們堅持稱之為曼納莊園，而不能容忍動物莊園這個名字)的畜牲總是在他們自己之間打斗，而且快要餓死了。過一段時間，那里的動物顯然并沒有餓死，弗雷德里克和皮爾金頓就改了腔調(diào)，開始說什么動物莊園如今邪惡猖獗。他們說，傳說那里的動物同類相食，互相用燒得通紅的馬蹄鐵拷打折磨，還共同霸占他們中的雌性動物。弗雷德里克和皮爾金頓說，正是在這一點上，造反是悖于天理的。

However, these stories were never fully believed. Rumours of a wonderful farm, where the human beings had been turned out and the animals managed their own affairs, continued to circulate in vague and distorted forms, and throughout that year a wave of rebelliousness ran through the countryside. Bulls which had always been tractable suddenly turned savage, sheep broke down hedges and devoured the clover, cows kicked the pail over, hunters refused their fences and shot their riders on to the other side. Above all, the tune and even the words of 'Beasts of England' were known everywhere. It had spread with astonishing speed. The human beings could not contain their rage when they heard this song, though they pretended to think it merely ridiculous. They could not understand, they said, how even animals could bring themselves to sing such contemptible rubbish. Any animal caught singing it was given a flogging on the spot. And yet the song was irrepressible. The blackbirds whistled it in the hedges, the pigeons cooed it in the elms, it got into the din of the smithies and the tune of the church bells. And when the human beings listened to it, they secretly trembled, hearing in it a prophecy of their future doom.

然而，誰也沒有完全聽信這些說法。有這樣一座奇妙的莊園，在那兒人被攆走，動物們掌管自己的事務，這個小道消息繼續(xù)以各種形式流傳著。整個那一年，在全國范圍內(nèi)造反之波此起彼伏：一向溫順的公牛突然變野了，羊毀壞了樹籬，糟踏了苜蓿，母牛蹄翻了奶桶，獵馬不肯越過圍欄而把背上的騎手甩到了另一邊。更有甚者，“英格蘭獸”的曲子甚至還有歌詞已經(jīng)無處不知，它以驚異的速度流傳著。盡管人們故意裝作不屑一顧，認為它滑稽可笑，但是，當他們聽到了這支歌，便怒不可遏。他們說，他們簡直弄不明白，怎么就連畜牲們也竟能唱這樣無恥的下流小調(diào)。那些因為唱這支歌而被逮住的動物，當場就會被責以鞭笞?？蛇@支歌還是壓抑不住的，烏鴉在樹籬上囀鳴著唱它，鴿子在榆樹上咕咕著唱它，歌聲滲進鐵匠鋪的喧聲，滲進教堂的鐘聲，它預示著人所面臨的厄運，因而，他們聽到這些便暗自發(fā)抖。

Early in October, when the corn was cut and stacked and some of it was already threshed, a flight of pigeons came whirling through the air and alighted in the yard of Animal Farm in the wildest excitement. Jones and all his men, with half a dozen others from Foxwood and Pinchfield, had entered the five-barred gate and were coming up the cart-track that led to the farm. They were all carrying sticks, except Jones, who was marching ahead with a gun in his hands. Obviously they were going to attempt the recapture of the farm.

十月初，玉米收割完畢并且堆放好了，其中有些已經(jīng)脫了粒。有一天，一群鴿子從空中急速飛回，興高采烈地落在動物莊園的院子里。原來瓊斯和他的所有伙計們，以及另外六個來自?？怂刮榈虑f園和平徹菲爾德莊園的人，已經(jīng)進了五柵門，正沿著莊園的車道向這走來。除了一馬當先的瓊斯先生手里握著一支槍外，他們?nèi)紟е靼?。顯然，他們企圖奪回這座莊園。

This had long been expected, and all preparations had been made. Snowball, who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar's campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse, was in charge of the defensive operations. He gave his orders quickly, and in a couple of minutes every animal was at his post.

這是早就預料到了的，所有相應的準備工作也已經(jīng)就緒。斯諾鮑負責這次防御戰(zhàn)。他曾在莊主院的屋子里找到一本談論儒略·凱撒征戰(zhàn)的舊書，并且鉆研過。此時，他迅速下令，不出兩分鐘，動物們已經(jīng)各就各位。

As the human beings approached the farm buildings, Snowball launched his first attack. All the pigeons, to the number of thirty-five, flew to and fro over the men's heads and muted upon them from mid-air; and while the men were dealing with this, the geese, who had been hiding behind the hedge, rushed out and pecked viciously at the calves of their legs. However, this was only a light skirmishing manoeuvre, intended to create a little disorder, and the men easily drove the geese off with their sticks. Snowball now launched his second line of attack. Muriel, Benjamin, and all the sheep, with Snowball at the head of them, rushed forward and prodded and butted the men from every side, while Benjamin turned around and lashed at them with his small hoofs. But once again the men, with their sticks and their hobnailed boots, were too strong for them; and suddenly, at a squeal from Snowball, which was the signal for retreat, all the animals turned and fled through the gateway into the yard.

當這伙人接近莊園的窩棚時，斯諾鮑發(fā)動第一次攻擊，所有的鴿子，大概有三十五只左右，在這伙人頭上盤旋，從半空中向他們一齊拉屎。趁著他們應付鴿子的“空襲”，早已藏在樹籬后的一群鵝沖了出來，使勁地啄他們的腿肚子。而這還只是些小打小鬧的計策，只不過制造點小混亂罷了。這幫人用棍棒毫不費力就把鵝趕跑了。斯諾鮑接著發(fā)動第二次攻擊，穆麗爾、本杰明和所有的羊，隨著打頭的斯諾鮑沖向前去，從各個方向?qū)@伙人又戳又抵，而本杰明則回頭用他的小蹄子對他們尥起蹶子來?？墒?，對動物們來說，這幫拎著棍棒、靴子上又帶著釘子的人還是太厲害了。突然，從斯諾鮑那里發(fā)出一聲尖叫，這是退兵的信號，所有的動物轉(zhuǎn)身從門口退回院子內(nèi)。

The men gave a shout of triumph. They saw, as they imagined, their enemies in flight, and they rushed after them in disorder. This was just what Snowball had intended. As soon as they were well inside the yard, the three horses, the three cows, and the rest of the pigs, who had been lying in ambush in the cowshed, suddenly emerged in their rear, cutting them off. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge. He himself dashed straight for Jones. Jones saw him coming, raised his gun and fired. The pellets scored bloody streaks along Snowball's back, and a sheep dropped dead. Without halting for an instant, Snowball flung his fifteen stone against Jones's legs. Jones was hurled into a pile of dung and his gun flew out of his hands. But the most terrifying spectacle of all was Boxer, rearing up on his hind legs and striking out with his great iron-shod hoofs like a stallion. His very first blow took a stable-lad from Foxwood on the skull and stretched him lifeless in the mud. At the sight, several men dropped their sticks and tried to run. Panic overtook them, and the next moment all the animals together were chasing them round and round the yard. They were gored, kicked, bitten, trampled on. There was not an animal on the farm that did not take vengeance on them after his own fashion. Even the cat suddenly leapt off a roof onto a cowman's shoulders and sank her claws in his neck, at which he yelled horribly. At a moment when the opening was clear, the men were glad enough to rush out of the yard and make a bolt for the main road. And so within five minutes of their invasion they were in ignominious retreat by the same way as they had come, with a flock of geese hissing after them and pecking at their calves all the way.

那些人發(fā)出得意的呼叫，正象他們所想象的那樣，他們看到仇敵們潰不成軍，于是就毫無秩序的追擊著。這正是斯諾鮑所期望的。等他們完全進入院子后，三匹馬，三頭牛以及其余埋伏在牛棚里的豬，突然出現(xiàn)在他們身后，切斷了他們的退路。這時，斯諾鮑發(fā)出了進攻的信號，他自己徑直向瓊斯沖出，瓊斯看見他沖過來，舉起槍就開了火，彈粒擦過斯諾鮑背部，刻下了一道血痕，一只羊中彈傷亡。當時遲,那時快，斯諾鮑憑他那兩百多磅體重猛地撲向瓊斯的腿，瓊斯一下子被推到糞堆上，槍也從手中甩了出去。而最為驚心動魄的情景還在鮑克瑟那兒，他就像一匹沒有閹割的種馬，竟靠后腿直立起來，用他那巨大的釘著鐵掌的蹄子猛打一氣，第一下就擊中了一個福克斯伍德莊園的馬夫的腦殼，打得他倒在泥坑里斷了氣?？吹竭@個情形，幾個人扔掉棍子就要跑。他們被驚恐籠罩著，接著，就在所有動物的追逐下繞著院子到處亂跑。他們不是被抵，就是被踢;不是被咬，就是被踩。莊園里的動物無不以各自不同的方式向他們復仇。就連那只貓也突然從房頂跳到一個放牛人的肩上，用爪子掐進他的脖子里，疼得他大喊大叫。趁著門口沒有擋道的機會，這伙人喜出望外，奪路沖出院子，迅速逃到大路上。一路上又有鵝在啄著他們的腿肚子，噓噓的轟趕他們。就這樣，他們這次侵襲，在五分鐘之內(nèi)，又從進來的路上灰溜溜地敗逃了。

All the men were gone except one. Back in the yard Boxer was pawing with his hoof at the stable-lad who lay face down in the mud, trying to turn him over. The boy did not stir.

除了一個人之外，這幫人全都跑了?；氐皆鹤永铮U克瑟用蹄子扒拉一下那個臉朝下趴在地上的馬夫，試圖把它翻過來，這家伙一動也不動。

"He is dead," said Boxer sorrowfully. "I had no intention of doing that. I forgot that I was wearing iron shoes. Who will believe that I did not do this on purpose?"

“他死了”，鮑克瑟難過地說，“我本不想這樣干，我忘了我還釘著鐵掌呢，誰相信我這是無意的呢?”

"No sentimentality, comrade!" cried Snowball from whose wounds the blood was still dripping. "War is war. The only good human being is a dead one."

“不要多愁善感，同志!”傷口還在滴滴答答流血的斯諾鮑大聲說到。“打仗就是打仗，只有死人才是好人。”

"I have no wish to take life, not even human life," repeated Boxer, and his eyes were full of tears.

“我不想殺生，即使對人也不”，鮑克瑟重復道，兩眼還含著淚花。

"Where is Mollie?" exclaimed somebody.

不知是誰大聲喊道：“莫麗哪兒去了?”

Mollie in fact was missing. For a moment there was great alarm; it was feared that the men might have harmed her in some way, or even carried her off with them. In the end, however, she was found hiding in her stall with her head buried among the hay in the manger. She had taken to flight as soon as the gun went off. And when the others came back from looking for her, it was to find that the stable-lad, who in fact was only stunned, had already recovered and made off.

莫麗確實失蹤了。大家感到一陣驚慌，他們擔心人設了什么計傷害了她，更擔心人把她搶走了。結(jié)果，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)她正躲在她的廄棚里，頭還鉆在料槽的草中。她在槍響的時候就逃跑了。后來又發(fā)現(xiàn)，那個馬夫只不過昏了過去，就在他們尋找莫麗時，馬夫蘇醒過來，趁機溜掉了。

The animals had now reassembled in the wildest excitement, each recounting his own exploits in the battle at the top of his voice. An impromptu celebration of the victory was held immediately. The flag was run up and 'Beasts of England' was sung a number of times, then the sheep who had been killed was given a solemn funeral, a hawthorn bush being planted on her grave. At the graveside Snowball made a little speech, emphasising the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal Farm if need be.

這時，動物們又重新集合起來，他們沉浸在無比的喜悅之中，每一位都扯著嗓子把自己在戰(zhàn)斗中的功勞表白一番。當下，他們立即舉行了一個即興的慶功儀式。莊園的旗幟升上去了，“英格蘭獸”唱了許多遍。接著又為那只被殺害的羊舉行了隆重的葬禮，還為她在墓地上種了一棵山楂樹。斯諾鮑在墓前作了一個簡短的演說，他強調(diào)說，如果需要的話，每個動物都當為動物莊園準備犧牲。

The animals decided unanimously to create a military decoration, "Animal Hero, First Class," which was conferred there and then on Snowball and Boxer. It consisted of a brass medal (they were really some old horse-brasses which had been found in the harness-room), to be worn on Sundays and holidays. There was also "Animal Hero, Second Class," which was conferred posthumously on the dead sheep.

動物們一致決定設立一個“一級動物英雄”軍功勛章，這一稱號就地立即授予斯諾鮑和鮑克瑟。并有一枚銅質(zhì)獎章(那是在農(nóng)具室里發(fā)現(xiàn)的一些舊的、貨真價實的黃銅制做的)，可在星期天和節(jié)日里佩戴。還有一枚“二級動物英雄”勛章，這一稱號追認給那只死去的羊。

There was much discussion as to what the battle should be called. In the end, it was named the Battle of the Cowshed, since that was where the ambush had been sprung. Mr. Jones's gun had been found lying in the mud, and it was known that there was a supply of cartridges in the farmhouse. It was decided to set the gun up at the foot of the Flagstaff, like a piece of artillery, and to fire it twice a year--once on October the twelfth, the anniversary of the Battle of the Cowshed, and once on Midsummer Day, the anniversary of the Rebellion.

關于對這次戰(zhàn)斗如何稱謂的事，他們討論來，討論去，最后決定命名為“牛棚大戰(zhàn)”，因為伏擊就是在那兒發(fā)起的。他們還把瓊斯先生那支掉在泥坑里的槍找到了，又在莊主院里發(fā)現(xiàn)了存貯的子彈。于是決定把槍架在旗桿腳下，像一門大炮一樣，并在每年鳴槍兩次，一次在十月十二日的“牛棚大戰(zhàn)”紀念日，一次在施洗約翰節(jié)，也就是起義紀念日。