斯諾鮑被逐后的第三個星期天,拿破侖宣布要建造風(fēng)車,動物們聽到這個消息,終究有些吃驚。
He did not give any reason for having changed his mind, but merely warned the animals that this extra task would mean very hard work,
而拿破侖沒有為改變主意講述任何理由,只是簡單地告誡動物們,那項(xiàng)額外的任務(wù)將意味著非常艱苦的勞動:
it might even be necessary to reduce their rations.
也許有必要縮減他們的食料。
The plans, however, had all been prepared, down to the last detail.
然而,設(shè)計圖已全部籌備好,并已經(jīng)進(jìn)入最后的細(xì)節(jié)部分。
A special committee of pigs had been at work upon them for the past three weeks.
一個由豬組成的特別委員會為此在過去三周內(nèi)一直工作著。
The building of the windmill, with various other improvements, was expected to take two years.
風(fēng)車的修建,加上其他一些各種各樣的改進(jìn),預(yù)期要兩年時間。
That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill.
當(dāng)天晚上,斯奎拉私下對其他動物解釋說,拿破侖從來沒有真正反對過風(fēng)車。
On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning.
相反,正是由他最初做的建議。
And the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon's papers.
那個斯諾鮑畫在孵卵棚地板上的設(shè)計圖,實(shí)際上是他早先從拿破侖的筆記中剽竊的。
The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon's own creation.
事實(shí)上,風(fēng)車是拿破侖自己的創(chuàng)造。
Why, then, asked somebody, had he spoken so strongly against it?
于是,有的動物問道,為什么他曾說它的壞話說得那么厲害?
Here Squealer looked very sly.
在這一點(diǎn)上,斯奎拉顯得非常圓滑。
That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon's cunning.
他說,這是拿破侖同志的老練。
He had SEEMED to oppose the windmill, simply as a maneuver to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence.
他裝作反對風(fēng)車,那只是一個計謀,目的在于驅(qū)除斯諾鮑這個隱患,這個壞東西。
Now that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could go forward without his interference.
既然現(xiàn)在斯諾鮑已經(jīng)溜掉了,計劃也就能在沒有斯諾鮑妨礙的情況下順利進(jìn)行了。
This, said Squealer, was something called tactics.
斯奎拉說,這就是所謂的策略。
He repeated a number of times, "Tactics, comrades, tactics!" skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh.
他重復(fù)了好幾遍,“策略,同志們,策略!”還一邊帶著歡快的笑聲,一邊甩動著尾巴,活蹦亂跳。
The animals were not certain what the word meant, but Squealer spoke sopersuasively,
動物們吃不準(zhǔn)這些話的含意,可是斯奎拉講的如此富有說服力,
and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.
加上趕巧了有三條狗和他在一起,又是那樣氣勢洶洶的狂叫著,因而他們沒有進(jìn)一步再問什么,就接受了他的解釋。