November came, with raging south?west winds. Building had to stop because it was now too wet to mix the cement (水泥).
Finally there came a night when the gale (大風) was so violent that the farm buildings rocked on their foundations and several tiles (瓦片) were blown off the roof of the barn.{1}
The hens (母雞) woke up squawking with terror because they had all dreamed simultaneously (同時地) of hearing a gun go off in the distance.
In the morning the animals came out of their stalls to find that the flagstaff (旗桿) had been blown down and an elm tree at the foot of the orchard had been plucked (拔) up like a radish (小蘿卜).
They had just noticed this when a cry of despair broke from every animal's throat. A terrible sight had met their eyes. The windmill was in ruins.
With one accord they dashed down to the spot. Napoleon, who seldom moved out of a walk, raced ahead of them all.
Yes, there it lay, the fruit of all their struggles, levelled (變平) to its foundations, the stones they had broken and carried so laboriously scattered (散落) all around.
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Unable at first to speak, they stood gazing mournfully at the litter (廢棄物) of fallen stone. Napoleon paced to and fro in silence, occasionally snuffing (嗅) at the ground.
His tail had grown rigid (僵硬的) and twitched (抽動) sharply from side to side, a sign in him of intense mental activity. Suddenly he halted as though his mind were made up.
"Comrades," he said quietly, "do you know who is responsible for this? Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown (推翻) our windmill? SNOWBALL!" he suddenly roared in a voice of thunder.
"Snowball has done this thing! In sheer malignity (惡意), thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious (恥辱的) expulsion, this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year.
Comrades, here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball. 'Animal Hero, Second Class,' and half a bushel (蒲式耳) of apples to any animal who brings him to justice. A full bushel to anyone who captures him alive!"{2}
The animals were shocked beyond measure to learn that even Snowball could be guilty of such an action. There was a cry of indignation (憤慨), and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back.
Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll (圓丘). They could only be traced for a few yards, but appeared to lead to a hole in the hedge.
Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's. He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm.
"No more delays, comrades!" cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined. "There is work to be done. This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine.
We will teach this miserable traitor that he cannot undo our work so easily. Remember, comrades, there must be no alteration (改變) in our plans: they shall be carried out to the day. Forward, comrades! Long live the windmill! Long live Animal Farm!"
It was a bitter winter. The stormy weather was followed by sleet (雨夾雪) and snow, and then by a hard frost (霜) which did not break till well into February.
The animals carried on as best they could with the rebuilding of the windmill, well knowing that the outside world was watching them and that the envious (忌妒的) human beings would rejoice and triumph if the mill were not finished on time.
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Out of spite, the human beings pretended not to believe that it was Snowball who had destroyed the windmill: they said that it had fallen down because the walls were too thin.
The animals knew that this was not the case.
Still, it had been decided to build the walls three feet thick this time instead of eighteen inches as before, which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone.
For a long time the quarry was full of snowdrifts (雪堆) and nothing could be done. Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed, but it was cruel work, and the animals could not feel so hopeful about it as they had felt before.
They were always cold, and usually hungry as well. Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity (高貴) of labour, but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer's strength and his never?failing cry of "I will work harder! "
In January food fell short. The corn ration (配給) was drastically reduced, and it was announced that an extra potato ration would be issued to make up for it.
Then it was discovered that the greater part of the potato crop had been frosted in the clamps, which had not been covered thickly enough. The potatoes had become soft and discoloured, and only a few were edible (可食用的).
For days at a time the animals had nothing to eat but chaff (谷殼) and mangels (飼料甜菜). Starvation seemed to stare them in the face.
It was vitally necessary to conceal (隱瞞) this fact from the outside world. Emboldened (壯膽) by the collapse of the windmill, the human beings were inventing (編造) fresh lies about Animal Farm.
Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine (饑荒) and disease, and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism (嗜食同類) and infanticide (殺嬰).
Napoleon was well aware of the bad results that might follow if the real facts of the food situation were known, and he decided to make use of Mr. Whymper to spread a contrary impression.
Hitherto (迄今為止) the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased.{3}
In addition, Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins (箱子) in the store?shed to be filled nearly to the brim (容器的邊) with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal.
On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store?shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins.{4} He was deceived (蒙騙), and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm.
Nevertheless, towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere.
In these days Napoleon rarely appeared in public, but spent all his time in the farmhouse, which was guarded at each door by fierce?looking dogs.
When he did emerge, it was in a ceremonial (儀式的) manner, with an escort (陪同) of six dogs who closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near.
Frequently he did not even appear on Sunday mornings, but issued his orders through one of the other pigs, usually Squealer.
One Sunday morning Squealer announced that the hens, who had just come in to lay again, must surrender (拋棄) their eggs. Napoleon had accepted, through Whymper, a contract for four hundred eggs a week.
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The price of these would pay for enough grain and meal to keep the farm going till summer came on and conditions were easier.
