動物農(nóng)場Animal Farm 第8章(4)

The animals distrusted Pilkington, as a human being, but greatly preferred him to Frederick, whom they both feared and hated.

對于皮爾金頓這個人，動物們并不信任，但他們更不信任弗雷德里克，他們對他又怕又恨。

As the summer wore on, and the windmill neared completion, the rumors of animpending treacherous attack grew stronger and stronger.

夏天過去了，風車即將竣工，那個關(guān)于弗雷德里克將要襲擊莊園的風聲也越來越緊。

Frederick, it was said, intended to bring against them twenty men all armed with guns.

據(jù)說危險已經(jīng)迫在眉睫，而且，弗雷德里克打算帶二十個全副武裝的人來。

And he had already bribed the magistrates and police, so that if he could once get hold of the title-deeds of Animal Farm they would ask no questions.

還說他已經(jīng)買通了地方官員和警察，這樣，一旦他能把動物莊園的地契弄到手，就會得到他們的認可。

Moreover, terrible stories were leaking out from Pinchfield about the cruelties that Frederick practiced upon his animals.

更有甚者，從平徹菲爾德莊園透露出許多可怕的消息，說弗雷德里克正用他的動物進行殘酷無情的演習。

He had flogged an old horse to death, he starved his cows, he had killed a dog by throwing it into the furnace,

他用鞭子抽死了一匹老馬，餓他的牛，還把一條狗扔到爐子里燒死了，

he amused himself in the evenings by making cocks fight with splinters of razor-blade tied to their spurs.

到了晚上，他就把刮臉刀碎片綁在雞爪子上看斗雞取樂。

The animals' blood boiled with rage when they heard of these things being done to their comrades,

聽到這些正加害在他們同志身上的事，動物們?nèi)呵榧崳瑹嵫序v，

and sometimes they clamored to be allowed to go out in a body and attack Pinchfield Farm, drive out the humans, and set the animals free.

他們不時叫嚷著要一起去進攻平徹菲爾德莊園，趕走那里的人，解放那里的動物。

But Squealer counseled them to avoid rash actions and trust in Comrade Napoleon's strategy.

但斯奎拉告誡動物們，要避免草率行動，要相信拿破侖的戰(zhàn)略布署。

Nevertheless, feeling against Frederick continued to run high.

盡管如此，反對弗雷德里克的情緒還是越來越高漲。

One Sunday morning Napoleon appeared in the barn and explained that he had never at any time contemplated selling the pile of timber to Frederick.

在一個星期天早上，拿破侖來到大谷倉，他解釋說他從來未打算把那堆木料賣給弗雷德里克。

He considered it beneath his dignity, he said, to have dealings with scoundrels of that description.

他說，和那個惡棍打交道有辱他的身份。

The pigeons who were still sent out to spread tidings of the Rebellion were forbidden to set foot anywhere on Foxwood,

為了向外傳播起義消息而放出去的鴿子，以后不準在?？怂刮榈虑f園落腳。

and were also ordered to drop their former slogan of "Death to Humanity" in favor of "Death to Frederick."

他還下令，把他們以前的口號"打倒人類"換成"打倒弗雷德里克"。

In the late summer yet another of Snowball's machinations was laid bare.

夏末，斯諾鮑的另一個陰謀又被揭露了。

The wheat crop was full of weeds, and it was discovered that on one of his nocturnal visits Snowball had mixed weed seeds with the seed corn.

麥田里長滿了雜草，原來發(fā)現(xiàn)是他在某個夜晚潛入莊園后，往糧種里拌了草籽。

A gander who had been privy to the plot had confessed his guilt to Squealer and immediately committed suicide by swallowing deadly nightshade berries.

一只與此事件有牽連的雄雞向斯奎拉坦白了這一罪行，隨后，他就吞食了劇毒草莓自盡了。

The animals now also learned that Snowball had never--as many of them had believed hitherto--received the order of "Animal Hero, First Class."

動物們現(xiàn)在還得知，和他們一直想像的情況正相反，斯諾鮑從來都沒有受到過"一級動物英雄"嘉獎。

This was merely a legend which had been spread some time after the Battle of the Cowshed by Snowball himself.

受獎的事只不過是在牛棚大戰(zhàn)后，斯諾鮑自己散布的一個神話。

So far from being decorated, he had been censured for showing cowardice in the battle.

根本就沒有給他授勛這回事，倒是因為他在戰(zhàn)斗中表現(xiàn)怯懦而早就受到譴責。

Once again some of the animals heard this with a certain bewilderment, but Squealer was soon able to convince them that their memories had been at fault.

有些動物又一次感到不好接受，但斯奎拉很快就使他們相信是他們記錯了。