VII

1It was a bitter winter. 2The stormy weather was followed by sleet and snow, and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February. 3The 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 human beings would rejoice and triumph if the mill were not finished on time.

4Out 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. 5The animals knew that this was not the case. 6Still, 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. 7For a long time the quarry was full of snowdrifts and nothing could be done. 8Some 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. 9They were always cold, and usually hungry as well. 10Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart. 11Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour, but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer's strength and his never-failing cry of "I will work harder!"

12In January food fell short. 13The corn ration was drastically reduced, and it was announced that an extra potato ration would be issued to make up for it. 14Then it was discovered that the greater part of the potato crop had been frosted in the clamps, which had not been covered thickly enough. 15The potatoes had become soft and discoloured, and only a few were edible. 16For days at a time the animals had nothing to eat but chaff and mangels. 17Starvation seemed to stare them in the face.

18It was vitally necessary to conceal this fact from the outside world. 19Emboldened by the collapse of the windmill, the human beings were inventing fresh lies about Animal Farm. 20Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease, and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide. 21Napoleon 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. 22Hitherto 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. 23In addition, Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins in the store-shed to be filled nearly to the brim with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal. 24On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins. 25He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm.

26Nevertheless, towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere. 27In 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. 28When he did emerge, it was in a ceremonial manner, with an escort of six dogs who closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near. 29Frequently he did not even appear on Sunday mornings, but issued his orders through one of the other pigs, usually Squealer.

30One Sunday morning Squealer announced that the hens, who had just come in to lay again, must surrender their eggs. 31Napoleon had accepted, through Whymper, a contract for four hundred eggs a week. 32The price of these would pay for enough grain and meal to keep the farm going till summer came on and conditions were easier.

33When the hens heard this, they raised a terrible outcry. 34They had been warned earlier that this sacrifice might be necessary, but had not believed that it would really happen. 35They were just getting their clutches ready for the spring sitting, and they protested that to take the eggs away now was murder. 36For the first time since the expulsion of Jones, there was something resembling a rebellion. 37Led by three young Black Minorca pullets, the hens made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon's wishes. 38Their method was to fly up to the rafters and there lay their eggs, which smashed to pieces on the floor. 39Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly. 40He ordered the hens' rations to be stopped, and decreed that any animal giving so much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death. 41The dogs saw to it that these orders were carried out. 42For five days the hens held out, then they capitulated and went back to their nesting boxes. 43Nine hens had died in the meantime. 44Their bodies were buried in the orchard, and it was given out that they had died of coccidiosis. 45Whymper heard nothing of this affair, and the eggs were duly delivered, a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week to take them away.

46All this while no more had been seen of Snowball. 47He was rumoured to be hiding on one of the neighbouring farms, either Foxwood or Pinchfield. 48Napoleon was by this time on slightly better terms with the other farmers than before. 49It happened that there was in the yard a pile of timber which had been stacked there ten years earlier when a beech spinney was cleared. 50It was well seasoned, and Whymper had advised Napoleon to sell it; both Mr. Pilkington and Mr. Frederick were anxious to buy it. 51Napoleon was hesitating between the two, unable to make up his mind. 52It was noticed that whenever he seemed on the point of coming to an agreement with Frederick, Snowball was declared to be in hiding at Foxwood, while, when he inclined toward Pilkington, Snowball was said to be at Pinchfield.

53Suddenly, early in the spring, an alarming thing was discovered. 54Snowball was secretly frequenting the farm by night! 55The animals were so disturbed that they could hardly sleep in their stalls. 56Every night, it was said, he came creeping in under cover of darkness and performed all kinds of mischief. 57He stole the corn, he upset the milk-pails, he broke the eggs, he trampled the seedbeds, he gnawed the bark off the fruit trees. 58Whenever anything went wrong it became usual to attribute it to Snowball. 59If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it, and when the key of the store-shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. 60Curiously enough, they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal. 61The cows declared unanimously that Snowball crept into their stalls and milked them in their sleep. 62The rats, which had been troublesome that winter, were also said to be in league with Snowball.

63Napoleon decreed that there should be a full investigation into Snowball's activities. 64With his dogs in attendance he set out and made a careful tour of inspection of the farm buildings, the other animals following at a respectful distance. 65At every few steps Napoleon stopped and snuffed the ground for traces of Snowball's footsteps, which, he said, he could detect by the smell. 66He snuffed in every corner, in the barn, in the cow-shed, in the henhouses, in the vegetable garden, and found traces of Snowball almost everywhere. 67He would put his snout to the ground, give several deep sniffs, ad exclaim in a terrible voice, "Snowball! 68He has been here! 69I can smell him distinctly!" 70and at the word "Snowball" all the dogs let out blood-curdling growls and showed their side teeth.

71The animals were thoroughly frightened. 72It seemed to them as though Snowball were some kind of invisible influence, pervading the air about them and menacing them with all kinds of dangers. 73In the evening Squealer called them together, and with an alarmed expression on his face told them that he had some serious news to report.

74"Comrades!" cried Squealer, making little nervous skips, "a most terrible thing has been discovered. 75Snowball has sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, who is even now plotting to attack us and take our farm away from us! 76Snowball is to act as his guide when the attack begins. 77But there is worse than that. 78We had thought that Snowball's rebellion was caused simply by his vanity and ambition. 79But we were wrong, comrades. 80Do you know what the real reason was? 81Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start! 82He was Jones's secret agent all the time. 83It has all been proved by documents which he left behind him and which we have only just discovered. 84To my mind this explains a great deal, comrades. 85Did we not see for ourselves how he attempted–fortunately without success–to get us defeated and destroyed at the Battle of the Cowshed?"

86The animals were stupefied. 87This was a wickedness far outdoing Snowball's destruction of the windmill. 88But it was some minutes before they could fully take it in. 89They all remembered, or thought they remembered, how they had seen Snowball charging ahead of them at the Battle of the Cowshed, how he had rallied and encouraged them at every turn, and how he had not paused for an instant even when the pellets from Jones's gun had wounded his back. 90At first it was a little difficult to see how this fitted in with his being on Jones's side. 91Even Boxer, who seldom asked questions, was puzzled. 92He lay down, tucked his fore hoofs beneath him, shut his eyes, and with a hard effort managed to formulate his thoughts.

93"I do not believe that," he said. 94"Snowball fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed. 95I saw him myself. 96Did we not give him 'Animal Hero, first Class,' immediately afterwards?"

97"That was our mistake, comrade. 98For we know now–it is all written down in the secret documents that we have found–that in reality he was trying to lure us to our doom."

99"But he was wounded," said Boxer. 100"We all saw him running with blood."

101"That was part of the arrangement!" cried Squealer. 102"Jones's shot only grazed him. 103I could show you this in his own writing, if you were able to read it. 104The plot was for Snowball, at the critical moment, to give the signal for flight and leave the field to the enemy. 105And he very nearly succeeded–I will even say, comrades, he would have succeeded if it had not been for our heroic Leader, Comrade Napoleon. 106Do you not remember how, just at the moment when Jones and his men had got inside the yard, Snowball suddenly turned and fled, and many animals followed him? 107And do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that Comrade Napoleon sprang forward with a cry of 'Death to Humanity!' 108and sank his teeth in Jones's leg? 109Surely you remember that, comrades?" exclaimed Squealer, frisking from side to side.

110Now when Squealer described the scene so graphically, it seemed to the animals that they did remember it. 111At any rate, they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle Snowball had turned to flee. 112But Boxer was still a little uneasy.

113"I do not believe that Snowball was a traitor at the beginning," he said finally. 114"What he has done since is different. 115But I believe that at the Battle of the Cowshed he was a good comrade."

116"Our Leader, Comrade Napoleon," announced Squealer, speaking very slowly and firmly, "has stated categorically–categorically, comrade–that Snowball was Jones's agent from the very beginning–yes, and from long before the Rebellion was ever thought of."

117"Ah, that is different!" said Boxer. 118"If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right."

119"That is the true spirit, comrade!" cried Squealer, but it was noticed he cast a very ugly look at Boxer with his little twinkling eyes. 120He turned to go, then paused and added impressively: "I warn every animal on this farm to keep his eyes very wide open. 121For we have reason to think that some of Snowball's secret agents are lurking among us at this moment! "

122Four days later, in the late afternoon, Napoleon ordered all the animals to assemble in the yard. 123When they were all gathered together, Napoleon emerged from the farmhouse, wearing both his medals (for he had recently awarded himself "Animal Hero, First Class," and "Animal Hero, Second Class"), with his nine huge dogs frisking round him and uttering growls that sent shivers down all the animals' spines. 124They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.

125Napoleon stood sternly surveying his audience; then he uttered a high-pitched whimper. 126Immediately the dogs bounded forward, seized four of the pigs by the ear and dragged them, squealing with pain and terror, to Napoleon's feet. 127The pigs' ears were bleeding, the dogs had tasted blood, and for a few moments they appeared to go quite mad. 128To the amazement of everybody, three of them flung themselves upon Boxer. 129Boxer saw them coming and put out his great hoof, caught a dog in mid-air, and pinned him to the ground. 130The dog shrieked for mercy and the other two fled with their tails between their legs. 131Boxer looked at Napoleon to know whether he should crush the dog to death or let it go. 132Napoleon appeared to change countenance, and sharply ordered Boxer to let the dog go, whereat Boxer lifted his hoof, and the dog slunk away, bruised and howling.

133Presently the tumult died down. 134The four pigs waited, trembling, with guilt written on every line of their countenances. 135Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. 136They were the same four pigs as had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings. 137Without any further prompting they confessed that they had been secretly in touch with Snowball ever since his expulsion, that they had collaborated with him in destroying the windmill, and that they had entered into an agreement with him to hand over Animal Farm to Mr. Frederick. 138They added that Snowball had privately admitted to them that he had been Jones's secret agent for years past. 139When they had finished their confession, the dogs promptly tore their throats out, and in a terrible voice Napoleon demanded whether any other animal had anything to confess.

140The three hens who had been the ringleaders in the attempted rebellion over the eggs now came forward and stated that Snowball had appeared to them in a dream and incited them to disobey Napoleon's orders. 141They, too, were slaughtered. 142Then a goose came forward and confessed to having secreted six ears of corn during the last year's harvest and eaten them in the night. 143Then a sheep confessed to having urinated in the drinking pool–urged to do this, so she said, by Snowball–and two other sheep confessed to having murdered an old ram, an especially devoted follower of Napoleon, by chasing him round and round a bonfire when he was suffering from a cough. 144They were all slain on the spot. 145And so the tale of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon's feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood, which had been unknown there since the expulsion of Jones.

146When it was all over, the remaining animals, except for the pigs and dogs, crept away in a body. 147They were shaken and miserable. 148They did not know which was more shocking–the treachery of the animals who had leagued themselves with Snowball, or the cruel retribution they had just witnessed. 149In the old days there had often been scenes of bloodshed equally terrible, but it seemed to all of them that it was far worse now that it was happening among themselves. 150Since Jones had left the farm, until today, no animal had killed another animal. 151Not even a rat had been killed. 152They had made their way on to the little knoll where the half-finished windmill stood, and with one accord they all lay down as though huddling together for warmth–Clover, Muriel, Benjamin, the cows, the sheep, and a whole flock of geese and hens–everyone, indeed, except the cat, who had suddenly disappeared just before Napoleon ordered the animals to assemble. 153For some time nobody spoke. 154Only Boxer remained on his feet. 155He fidgeted to and fro, swishing his long black tail against his sides and occasionally uttering a little whinny of surprise. 156Finally he said:

157"I do not understand it. 158I would not have believed that such things could happen on our farm. 159It must be due to some fault in ourselves. 160The solution, as I see it, is to work harder. 161From now onwards I shall get up a full hour earlier in the mornings."

162And he moved off at his lumbering trot and made for the quarry. 163Having got there, he collected two successive loads of stone and dragged them down to the windmill before retiring for the night.

164The animals huddled about Clover, not speaking. 165The knoll where they were lying gave them a wide prospect across the countryside. 166Most of Animal Farm was within their view–the long pasture stretching down to the main road, the hayfield, the spinney, the drinking pool, the ploughed fields where the young wheat was thick and green, and the red roofs of the farm buildings with the smoke curling from the chimneys. 167It was a clear spring evening. 168The grass and the bursting hedges were gilded by the level rays of the sun. 169Never had the farm–and with a kind of surprise they remembered that it was their own farm, every inch of it their own property–appeared to the animals so desirable a place. 170As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. 171If she could have spoken her thoughts, it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. 172These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. 173If she herself had had any picture of the future, it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip, all equal, each working according to his capacity, the strong protecting the weak, as she had protected the lost brood of ducklings with her foreleg on the night of Major's speech. 174Instead–she did not know why–they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes. 175There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind. 176She knew that, even as things were, they were far better off than they had been in the days of Jones, and that before all else it was needful to prevent the return of the human beings. 177Whatever happened she would remain faithful, work hard, carry out the orders that were given to her, and accept the leadership of Napoleon. 178But still, it was not for this that she and all the other animals had hoped and toiled. 179It was not for this that they had built the windmill and faced the bullets of Jones's gun. 180Such were her thoughts, though she lacked the words to express them.

181At last, feeling this to be in some way a substitute for the words she was unable to find, she began to sing Beasts of England. 182The other animals sitting round her took it up, and they sang it three times over–very tunefully, but slowly and mournfully, in a way they had never sung it before.

183They had just finished singing it for the third time when Squealer, attended by two dogs, approached them with the air of having something important to say. 184He announced that, by a special decree of Comrade Napoleon, Beasts of England had been abolished. 185From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it.

186The animals were taken aback.

187"Why?" cried Muriel.

188"It's no longer needed, comrade," said Squealer stiffly. 189"Beasts of England was the song of the Rebellion. 190But the Rebellion is now completed. 191The execution of the traitors this afternoon was the final act. 192The enemy both external and internal has been defeated. 193In Beasts of England we expressed our longing for a better society in days to come. 194But that society has now been established. 195Clearly this song has no longer any purpose."

196Frightened though they were, some of the animals might possibly have protested, but at this moment the sheep set up their usual bleating of "Four legs good, two legs bad," which went on for several minutes and put an end to the discussion.

197So Beasts of England was heard no more. 198In its place Minimus, the poet, had composed another song which began:

199Animal Farm, Animal Farm,

200Never through me shalt thou come to harm!

201and this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag. 202But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to Beasts of England.