V

1As winter drew on, Mollie became more and more troublesome. 2She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept, and she complained of mysterious pains, although her appetite was excellent. 3On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool, where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. 4But there were also rumours of something more serious. 5One day, as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside.

6"Mollie," she said, "I have something very serious to say to you. 7This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. 8One of Mr. Pilkington's men was standing on the other side of the hedge. 9And–I was a long way away, but I am almost certain I saw this–he was talking to you and you were allowing him to stroke your nose. 10What does that mean, Mollie?"

11"He didn't! 12I wasn't! 13It isn't true!" 14cried Mollie, beginning to prance about and paw the ground.

15"Mollie! 16Look me in the face. 17Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?"

18"It isn't true!" repeated Mollie, but she could not look Clover in the face, and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field.

19A thought struck Clover. 20Without saying anything to the others, she went to Mollie's stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. 21Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours.

22Three days later Mollie disappeared. 23For some weeks nothing was known of her whereabouts, then the pigeons reported that they had seen her on the other side of Willingdon. 24She was between the shafts of a smart dogcart painted red and black, which was standing outside a public-house. 25A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters, who looked like a publican, was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. 26Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. 27She appeared to be enjoying herself, so the pigeons said. 28None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again.

29In January there came bitterly hard weather. 30The earth was like iron, and nothing could be done in the fields. 31Many meetings were held in the big barn, and the pigs occupied themselves with planning out the work of the coming season. 32It had come to be accepted that the pigs, who were manifestly cleverer than the other animals, should decide all questions of farm policy, though their decisions had to be ratified by a majority vote. 33This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. 34These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible. 35If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley, the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats, and if one of them said that such and such a field was just right for cabbages, the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. 36Each had his own following, and there were some violent debates. 37At the Meetings Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches, but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. 38He was especially successful with the sheep. 39Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad" both in and out of season, and they often interrupted the Meeting with this. 40It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into "Four legs good, two legs bad" at crucial moments in Snowball's speeches. 41Snowball had made a close study of some back numbers of the Farmer and Stockbreeder which he had found in the farmhouse, and was full of plans for innovations and improvements. 42He talked learnedly about field drains, silage, and basic slag, and had worked out a complicated scheme for all the animals to drop their dung directly in the fields, at a different spot every day, to save the labour of cartage. 43Napoleon produced no schemes of his own, but said quietly that Snowball's would come to nothing, and seemed to be biding his time. 44But of all their controversies, none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill.

45In the long pasture, not far from the farm buildings, there was a small knoll which was the highest point on the farm. 46After surveying the ground, Snowball declared that this was just the place for a windmill, which could be made to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power. 47This would light the stalls and warm them in winter, and would also run a circular saw, a chaff-cutter, a mangel-slicer, and an electric milking machine. 48The animals had never heard of anything of this kind before (for the farm was an old-fashioned one and had only the most primitive machinery), and they listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation.

49Within a few weeks Snowball's plans for the windmill were fully worked out. 50The mechanical details came mostly from three books which had belonged to Mr. Jones–One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House, Every Man His Own Bricklayer, and Electricity for Beginners. 51Snowball used as his study a shed which had once been used for incubators and had a smooth wooden floor, suitable for drawing on. 52He was closeted there for hours at a time. 53With his books held open by a stone, and with a piece of chalk gripped between the knuckles of his trotter, he would move rapidly to and fro, drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement. 54Gradually the plans grew into a complicated mass of cranks and cog-wheels, covering more than half the floor, which the other animals found completely unintelligible but very impressive. 55All of them came to look at Snowball's drawings at least once a day. 56Even the hens and ducks came, and were at pains not to tread on the chalk marks. 57Only Napoleon held aloof. 58He had declared himself against the windmill from the start. 59One day, however, he arrived unexpectedly to examine the plans. 60He walked heavily round the shed, looked closely at every detail of the plans and snuffed at them once or twice, then stood for a little while contemplating them out of the corner of his eye; then suddenly he lifted his leg, urinated over the plans, and walked out without uttering a word.

61The whole farm was deeply divided on the subject of the windmill. 62Snowball did not deny that to build it would be a difficult business. 63Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls, then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. 64(How these were to be procured, Snowball did not say.) 65But he maintained that it could all be done in a year. 66And thereafter, he declared, so much labour would be saved that the animals would only need to work three days a week. 67Napoleon, on the other hand, argued that the great need of the moment was to increase food production, and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. 68The animals formed themselves into two factions under the slogan, "Vote for Snowball and the three-day week" and "Vote for Napoleon and the full manger." 69Benjamin was the only animal who did not side with either faction. 70He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. 71Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on–that is, badly.

72Apart from the disputes over the windmill, there was the question of the defence of the farm. 73It was fully realised that though the human beings had been defeated in the Battle of the Cowshed they might make another and more determined attempt to recapture the farm and reinstate Mr. Jones. 74They had all the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever. 75As usual, Snowball and Napoleon were in disagreement. 76According to Napoleon, what the animals must do was to procure firearms and train themselves in the use of them. 77According to Snowball, they must send out more and more pigeons and stir up rebellion among the animals on the other farms. 78The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered, the other argued that if rebellions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves. 79The animals listened first to Napoleon, then to Snowball, and could not make up their minds which was right; indeed, they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment.

80At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. 81At the Meeting on the following Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmill was to be put to the vote. 82When the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowball stood up and, though occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmill. 83Then Napoleon stood up to reply. 84He said very quietly that the windmill was nonsense and that he advised nobody to vote for it, and promptly sat down again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. 85At this Snowball sprang to his feet, and shouting down the sheep, who had begun bleating again, broke into a passionate appeal in favour of the windmill. 86Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies, but in a moment Snowball's eloquence had carried them away. 87In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals' backs. 88His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. 89Electricity, he said, could operate threshing machines, ploughs, harrows, rollers, and reapers and binders, besides supplying every stall with its own electric light, hot and cold water, and an electric heater. 90By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. 91But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttere d a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before.

92At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. 93They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. 94In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. 95Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase. 96Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road. 97He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels. 98Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. 99Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again. 100One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball's tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time. 101Then 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.

102Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. 103In a moment the dogs came bounding back. 104At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. 105Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. 106They kept close to Napoleon. 107It 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.

108Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech. 109He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end. 110They were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time. 111In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself. 112These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others. 113The animals would still assemble on Sunday mornings to salute the flag, sing Beasts of England, and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no more debates.

114In spite of the shock that Snowball's expulsion had given them, the animals were dismayed by this announcement. 115Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. 116Even Boxer was vaguely troubled. 117He set his ears back, shook his forelock several times, and tried hard to marshal his thoughts; but in the end he could not think of anything to say. 118Some of the pigs themselves, however, were more articulate. 119Four young porkers in the front row uttered shrill squeals of disapproval, and all four of them sprang to their feet and began speaking at once. 120But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again. 121Then the sheep broke out into a tremendous bleating of "Four legs good, two legs bad!" which went on for nearly a quarter of an hour and put an end to any chance of discussion.

122Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others.

123"Comrades," he said, "I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. 124Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! 125On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. 126No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. 127He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. 128But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? 129Suppose you had decided to follow Snowball, with his moonshine of windmills–Snowball, who, as we now know, was no better than a criminal?"

130"He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed," said somebody.

131"Bravery is not enough," said Squealer. 132"Loyalty and obedience are more important. 133And as to the Battle of the Cowshed, I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball's part in it was much exaggerated. 134Discipline, comrades, iron discipline! 135That is the watchword for today. 136One false step, and our enemies would be upon us. 137Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back?"

138Once again this argument was unanswerable. 139Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back, then the debates must stop. 140Boxer, who had now had time to think things over, voiced the general feeling by saying: "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right." 141And from then on he adopted the maxim, "Napoleon is always right," in addition to his private motto of "I will work harder."

142By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. 143The shed where Snowball had drawn his plans of the windmill had been shut up and it was assumed that the plans had been rubbed off the floor. 144Every Sunday morning at ten o'clock the animals assembled in the big barn to receive their orders for the week. 145The skull of old Major, now clean of flesh, had been disinterred from the orchard and set up on a stump at the foot of the flagstaff, beside the gun. 146After the hoisting of the flag, the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn. 147Nowadays they did not sit all together as they had done in the past. 148Napoleon, with Squealer and another pig named Minimus, who had a remarkable gift for composing songs and poems, sat on the front of the raised platform, with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them, and the other pigs sitting behind. 149The rest of the animals sat facing them in the main body of the barn. 150Napoleon read out the orders for the week in a gruff soldierly style, and after a single singing of Beasts of England, all the animals dispersed.

151On the third Sunday after Snowball's expulsion, the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. 152He did not give any reason for having changed his mind, but merely warned the animals that this extra task would mean very hard work, it might even be necessary to reduce their rations. 153The plans, however, had all been prepared, down to the last detail. 154A special committee of pigs had been at work upon them for the past three weeks. 155The building of the windmill, with various other improvements, was expected to take two years.

156That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill. 157On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning, and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers. 158The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon's own creation. 159Why, then, asked somebody, had he spoken so strongly against it? 160Here Squealer looked very sly. 161That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon's cunning. 162He had seemed to oppose the windmill, simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. 163Now that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could go forward without his interference. 164This, said Squealer, was something called tactics. 165He repeated a number of times, "Tactics, comrades, tactics!" 166skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. 167The animals were not certain what the word meant, but Squealer spoke so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.