動(dòng)物農(nóng)場Animal Farm 第5章(7)

At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn.

這時(shí)，從外面?zhèn)鱽硪魂噧春莸耐敉艚新?，緊接著，九條強(qiáng)壯的狗，戴著鑲有青銅飾釘?shù)捻?xiàng)圈，跳進(jìn)大倉谷里來。

They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.

他們徑直撲向斯諾鮑，斯諾鮑在就要被咬上的最后一刻，才跳起來。

In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him.

他一下跑到門外，于是狗就在后面追。

Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase.

動(dòng)物們都嚇呆了，個(gè)個(gè)張口結(jié)舌，他們擠到門外注視著這場追逐。

Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road.

斯諾鮑飛奔著穿過通向大路的牧場。

He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels.

他使出渾身解數(shù)拼命地跑著，而狗已經(jīng)接近他的后蹄子。

Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him.

突然間，他滑倒了，眼看著就要被他們逮住。

Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again.

可他又重新起來，跑得更快了，但狗又一次趕上去。

One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball's tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time.

其中一條狗幾乎就要咬住斯諾鮑的尾巴了，幸而斯諾鮑及時(shí)甩開了尾巴。

Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare, slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.

接著他又一個(gè)沖刺，和狗不過一步之差，從樹籬中的一個(gè)缺口竄了出去，再也看不到了。

Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn.

動(dòng)物們驚愕地爬回大谷倉。

In a moment the dogs came bounding back.

不一會兒，那些狗又汪汪地叫著跑回來。

At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved.

剛開始時(shí)，動(dòng)物們都想不出這些家伙是從哪兒來的，但問題很快就弄明白了。

They were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and rearedprivately.

他們正是早先被拿破侖從他們的母親身邊帶走的那些狗崽子，被拿破侖偷偷地養(yǎng)著。

Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves.

他們盡管還沒有完全長大，但個(gè)頭都不小，看上去兇得象狼。

They kept close to Napoleon.

他們始終緊挨著拿破侖。

It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.

大家都注意到，他們對他擺著尾巴，那姿勢，竟和別的狗過去對瓊斯先生的做法一模一樣。

Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech.

這時(shí)，拿破侖在狗的尾隨下，登上那個(gè)當(dāng)年麥哲發(fā)表演講的凸臺。

He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end.

他宣布，從今以后，星期天早晨的大會議就此告終。

They were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time.

他說，那些會議毫無必要，又浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。

In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself.

此后一切有關(guān)莊園工作的議題，將有一個(gè)由豬組成的特別委員會定奪，這個(gè)委員會由他親自統(tǒng)管。

These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others.

他們將在私下碰頭，然后把有關(guān)決策傳達(dá)給其他動(dòng)物。