动物农场Animal Farm 第8章(7)

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　　拿破仑立即把所有动物召集在一起，咬牙切齿地宣布，判处弗雷德里克死刑。

　　When captured, he said, Frederick should be boiled alive.

　　他说，要是抓住这家伙，就要把他活活煮死。

　　At the same time he warned them that after this treacherous¹ deed the worst was to be expected.

　　同时他告诫他们，继这个阴险的背信弃义的行动之后，最糟糕的事情也就会一触即发了。

　　Frederick and his men might make their long-expected attack at any moment.

　　弗雷德里克和他的同伙随时都可能发动他们蓄谋已久的袭击。

　　Sentinels were placed at all the approaches to the farm.

　　因此，已在所有通向庄园的路口安装了岗哨。

　　In addition, four pigeons were sent to Foxwood with a conciliatory message, which it was hoped might re-establish good relations with Pilkington.

　　另外，四只鸽子给福克斯伍德庄园送去和好的信件，希望与皮尔金顿重修旧好。

　　The very next morning the attack came.

　　就在第二天早晨，敌人开始袭击了。

　　The animals were at breakfast when the look-outs came racing² in with the news that Frederick and his followers³ had already come through the five-barred gate.

　　当时动物们正在吃早饭，哨兵飞奔来报，说弗雷德里克及其随从已经走进了五栅门。

　　Boldly enough the animals sallied forth⁴ to meet them, but this time they did not have the easy victory that they had had in the Battle of the Cowshed.

　　动物们勇气十足，立刻就向敌人迎头出击，但这一回他们可没有像牛棚大战那样轻易取胜。

　　There were fifteen men, with half a dozen guns between them, and they opened fire as soon as they got within fifty yards.

　　敌方这一次共有十五个人，六条枪，他们一走到距离五十码处就立刻开火。

　　The animals could not face the terrible explosions and the stinging pellets, and in spite of the efforts of Napoleon and Boxer⁵ to rally them, they were soon driven back.

　　可怕的枪声和恶毒的子弹使动物们无法抵挡，虽然拿破仑和鲍克瑟好不容易才把他们集结起来，可不一会儿他们就又被打退了回来。

　　A number of them were already wounded.

　　很多动物已经负伤。

　　They took refuge in the farm buildings and peeped cautiously out from chinks and knot-holes.

　　于是他们纷纷逃进庄园的窝棚里躲了起来，小心翼翼地透过墙缝，透过木板上的节疤孔往外窥探。

　　The whole of the big pasture, including the windmill, was in the hands of the enemy.

　　只见整个大牧场，还有风车，都已落到敌人手中。

　　For the moment even Napoleon seemed at a loss.

　　此时就连拿破仑似乎也已不知所措了。

　　He paced up and down without a word, his tail rigid⁶ and twitching⁷.

　　他一言不发，走来走去，尾巴变得僵硬，而且还不停抽搐着。

　　Wistful glances were sent in the direction of Foxwood.

　　他不时朝着福克斯伍德庄园方向瞥去渴望的眼光。

　　If Pilkington and his men would help them, the day might yet be won.

　　如果皮尔金顿和他手下的人帮他们一把的话，这场拼斗还可以打胜。

　　But at this moment the four pigeons, who had been sent out on the day before, returned, one of them bearing a scrap⁸ of paper from Pilkington.

　　但正在此刻，前一天派出的四只鸽子返回来了，其中有一只带着皮尔金顿的一张小纸片。

　　On it was penciled the words: "Serves you right."

　　纸上用铅笔写着："你们活该。"

　　Meanwhile Frederick and his men had halted about the windmill.

　　这时，弗雷德里克一伙人已停在风车周围。

　　The animals watched them, and a murmur⁹ of dismay went round.

　　动物们一边窥视着他们，一边惶恐不安地嘀咕起来。

　　Two of the men had produced a crowbar and a sledge¹⁰ hammer.

　　有两个人拿出一根钢钎和一把大铁锤。

　　They were going to knock the windmill down.

　　他们准备拆除风车。

　　"Impossible!" cried Napoleon.

　　"不可能！"拿破仑喊道。

　　"We have built the walls far too thick for that. They could not knock it down in a week. Courage, comrades!"

　　"我们已把墙筑得那么厚。他们休想在一星期内拆除。不要怕，同志们！"

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