Chapter 1 第一章-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《动物农场Animal Farm》

Areerge well# Chapter I Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the potholes^{}. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side, he lurched{②} across the yard, kicked off his boots at the back door, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barre in the scullery{}, and made his way up to bed, where Mrs. Jones was already snoring^{. As soon as the light in the bedroom went out there was a stirring and a fluttering all through the farm buildings. Word had gone round during the day that old Major, the prize Middle White boar^{}, had had a strange dream on the previous night and wished to communicate it to the other animals. It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr. Jones was safely out of the way. Old Major (so he was always called, though the name under which he had been exhibited was Willingdon Beauty) was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour's sleep in order to hear what he had to say At one end of the big barn, on a sort of raised platform, Major was already ensconced{} on his bed of straw, under a lantern which hung from a beam. He was twelve years old and had lately grown rather stout^{}, but he was still a majestic-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent{③} appearance in spite of the .002: 第一章 庄园农场的琼斯先生给鸡舍上了锁,准备过夜。但 ① potholeI'pothaul n.坑洞 是,他酒喝多了,醉醺醺的,竟然忘记了把鸡进出的几 ② lurchllaxt门:而行 个小门洞关上。他跟跟跪跪地走过院子,手上提灯投射 出的光环也跟着左右摇摆。到了后门口,他便掉了脚 ③ scullery I'skAlariln. 碗碟 洗洛室 上的靴子,从炊具存放室的酒桶里给自已出了最后一 杯呼酒,喝过之后便准备睡觉去了,而琼斯太太此时已 ④ snore[snox:]:打 经在床上发出了鼾声。 琼斯先生卧室的灯刚一熄灭,整座农场的各处窝棚 内便立刻有了动静,传来一阵振翼拍翅的声响。白天 boar bs:]n. 公猪 里,消息已经在农场各处传开了,说老少校-一那头获 过“中白色”奖的公猪一一头天夜间做了个怪梦,而且 希望把梦的情形告诉给其他动物们。动物们已经说定了 一旦琼斯先生稳稳当当地不碍事了,他们便全部聚集到 大谷仓内。老少校(大伙儿一直都这么称呼他来着,不 过,他当时参加展览时使用的是“威灵登美男”这个称 谓)在农场上享有崇高的威望,所以,每一只动物都很 乐意牺牲一个小时睡眠时间来听他讲话。 大谷仓的一端,有一处隆起的台子之类的所在。少 ensconce in'skons]v 使安 躺 校已经安安稳稳地躺在干草铺成的床上,上方悬着一盏 )stout [staut]a. 粗壮的 固定在横梁上的提灯。他已经十二岁了,最近长得膘肥 ⑧ benevolent Ibi'nevalantl a 仁慈的 体壮,但仍不失为是一头仪表堂堂的猪。尽管他的长牙 ·003· ChapterI fact that his tushes^{} had never been cut. Before long the other animals began to arrive and make themselves comfortable after their different fashions. Firs came the three dogs, Bluebell. Jessie, and Pincher, and then the pigs, who settled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. The hens perched^②} themselves on the window-sills, the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters③}, the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud④. The two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover, came in together, walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life, who had never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal{}. Boxer was an enormous beast. nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together. A white stripe{} down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance, and in fact he was not of first- rate intelligence, but he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers of work. After the horses came Muriel, the white goat. and Benjamin, the donkey. Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered. He seldom talked. and when he did. it was usually to make some cynical remark, for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off. but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies. Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed. If asked why, he would say that he saw nothing to laugh at. Nevertheless, without openly admitting it, he was devoted to Boxer: the two of them usually spent their Sundays together in the small paddock{}beyond the orchard{}, grazing side by side and never speaking. The two horses had just lain down when a brood of ducklings, which hac lost their mother, filed into the barn, cheeping{} feebly{} and wandering from .004: 第一章 ① tush[tf门]n.犬齿 从来没有割剪过,但面相仍然睿智慈祥。不一会儿,其 他动物开始陆续到达,按照各自的方式舒舒服服地安顿 下来。最先到达的是三条狗:,蓝羚、杰西和平彻。随后 ② perch[pat]门]v使暂歇 是几头猪,他们在台子前面的干草上安顿了下来。母鸡 ③ rafterl'rafta]n.椽(子) 们栖身在窗台上,鸽子们展翅飞上了椽子。绵羊和母牛 ④ chew the cud反刍 们在猪的后面躺下,并且开始反刍了起来。两匹拉车的 马--拳击手和首藉--一同进入。他们步履缓慢,毛 茸茸的宽大蹄子小心翼翼向下踩踏,生怕干草里面藏着 某一只小动物。首藉是一匹膘肥体壮的母马,正接近中 年,打从产下第四胎幼思之后,就再也没有恢复过昔日 的体形了。拳击手是一匹高大的马,差不多有十八个一 foal [faulln.(尤指不满一 岁的马、骤的)狗 手之宽,力量相当于两匹普通马加在一块儿。一道白色 stripe [straipln. 斑纹 条纹顺着鼻梁而下,让他看上去显得有点傻乎乎。事实 上,他的智力并非一流,但是,他性格坚韧不拔,干活 儿时体力强盛,因此受到广泛尊敬。马匹之后进入的是 白山羊穆里尔和毛驴本杰明。本杰明是农场里年事最高 的动物,也是脾气最暴躁的动物。他话很少,但一旦开 口说话,定是满口挪瑜挖苦的话,比如:他会说,上帝 赐予了他一根尾巴,目的是用来驱赶苍蝇的,但是,他 宁可不要尾巴,宁可没有苍蝇。动物当中,唯有他是从 来不笑的。若是要问为什么,他会回答说,他并没有看 见什么可笑的东西。然而,虽说没有公开承认,他却是 十分倾心于拳击手。他们二位往往会在果园那边的一片 小牧场上度过星期日,肩并肩地一块儿吃草,默默无言。 paddock I'pedokln. /小牧 场 两匹拉车的马刚刚躺了下来,便有一群失去了母亲 ⑧ orchard ['xtfad]n. 果园 的小鸭子涌入大谷仓。他们有气无力地哪哪叫着,忽左 cheepItfitplv: 哪哪地nu feeblyI'fibli]ad. 柔弱地 一手之宽(hand)是一种测量马匹高度等的单位,相当于四英寸。 文学作品中常常会出现英美制的长度和面积单位,常见的有英里、码、 英尺、英寸、平方英里、英亩、平方码、平方英尺等:一英里(mile) 等于1.6093千米,一码(yard)等于0.9144米,一英尺(foot)等于0.3048 米,一英寸(inch)等于2.54厘米,一平方英里(square mile)等于 2.59平方千来,一英亩(acre)等于4047平方米,一平方英码(square yard)等于0.8361平方米,一平方英尺(squarefoot)等于929.03平 方厘米。 ·005· ChapterI side to side to find some place where they would not be trodden{①} on. Clover made a sort of wall round them with her great foreleg, and the ducklings nestled down inside it and promptly② fell asleep. At the last moment, Mollie. the foolish, pretty white mare who drew Mr. Jones's trap, came mincing^③} daintily in, chewing at a lump of sugar. She took a place near the front and began flirting{}her white mane{}, hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with. Last of all came the cat, who looked round, as usual, for the warmest place, and finally saueezed herself in between Boxer and Clover there she purred{}contentedly throughout Major's speech without listening to a word of what he was saying. All the animals were now present except Moses, the tame raven{②}, who slept on a perch{} behind the back door. When Major saw that they had all made themselves comfortable and were waiting attentively, he cleared his throat and began: "Comrades, you have heard already about the strange dream that I had las night. But I will come to the dream later. I have something else to say first. I do not think, comrades. that I shall be with you for many months longer, and before I die. I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acauired. I have had a long life. I have had much time for thought as I lay alone in my stall. and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living. It is about this that I wish to speak to you. "Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable. laborious, and short. We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength: and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered*}with hideous^{①} cruelty. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth .006. 第一章 ① troddenI'trodon](tread 的 忽右地向前走着,想要寻觅一处不被别的动物踩踏到的 过去分词):践踏 地方。首藉用自已粗大的前腿给小鸭们形成一道像是围 ② promptly I'prom(p)tli]ad. 迅速地 墙一样的屏障。而小鸭们则舒适地在屏障里面安顿了下 ③ mincing|minsin]a. 装模 来,很快便睡着了。到了最后时刻,替琼斯先生拉车的 作样的 daintily f'deintililad. 讲究 莫莉这才扭侃作态地珊珊来迟,这是匹傻乎乎但容貌俏 地 flirt[flaxt]:挥动(尾巴) 丽的白色母马。她嘴里嚼着一块方糖,在靠前的位置找 mane [mein] n. 鬃毛 了一处地方,然后开始抖动着自己的自色鬓毛,卖弄着 风情,旨在让大伙儿嘱目她那系在鬓毛上的红色饰带。 7 purr[px]:猫喘音 最后到达的是那只母猫。她和平常一样,左顾右盼,想 要寻找一处最温暖的所在,最后挤在了拳击手和首藉之 间。少校说话期间,她一直心满意足地在那儿发着呼噜 ⑧ ravenreivanln. 【鸟类】 渡鸦 声,少校说了什么,她一句也没有听进去。 perch[pxtf]n. 悬挂东西 的横条 所有动物现在都到齐了,只有摩西除外,即那只驯 化了的渡鸦,他在后门口的栖息架上睡觉来着。少校看 到所有动物都舒舒服服地安顿下来,聚精会神地等待 着。这时候,他清了清嗓子,开始说话了: “同志们,你们已经听说过了,我昨晚做了个怪梦。 但是,梦的事情我随后再说。我首先要说点别的事情。 同志们,我想我和你们待在一块儿的时间不会很长了。 在死之前,我觉得有责任把我获得的智慧传给你们。我 已经享受了很长的寿命,独自躺在圈栏时,有很多时间 进行思考。我认为,自已可以说理解了在这个世界上生 命的性质,理解的深度不亚于如今活着的任何动物。我 现在想要对你们说的就是关于这个问题。 “对了,同志们,我们的生命性质如何呢?让我们 面对它吧:我们活得痛苦不堪,艰辛劳累,寿命短暂。 我们生下来,得到的食物只够维持生存,然而,只要我 slaughter I'slxta]: 屠宰 hideous [hidias]a. 令人惊 们一息尚存,便会被迫劳作,直到精疲力竭。一旦到了 骇的 不中用的时刻,我们便会被残忍地宰杀掉。英国的任何 动物,只要到了一岁的年龄,便不知道快乐和闲暇是什 么意思。英国的任何动物都是不自由的。一只动物的一 生是艰难困苦的,饱受奴役的。这是显而易见的事实啊。 ·007· ChapterI "But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because this land of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent^{} life to those who dwell upon it? No, comrades, a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile, its climate is good, it is capable of affording food in abundance to an enormously greater number of animals than now inhabit it. This single farm of ours would suppor a dozen horses, twenty cows, hundreds of sheep, and all of them living in a comfort and a dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. Why then do we continue in this miserable{② condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings. There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word--Man. Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever "Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough{}, he canno run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself. Our labour tills④ the soil, our dung{ fertilises it, and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin. You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what has happened to that milk which should have been breeding up sturdy{}calves}?Every drop of it has gone down the throats of our enemies. And you hens, how many eggs have you laid in this las year, and how many of those eggs ever hatched^{} into chickens? The rest have all gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. And you, Clover. .008. 第一章 “但是,这难道纯粹是大自然秩序的一部分吗?难 ① decent ['di:sont]a. 体面的 道是因为我们的这片土地过于贫痛,不能让生活在这里 的动物们体体面面地过日子吗?不是啊,同志们,绝对 不是啊!英国的土地很肥沃,英国的气候很适宜,可以 提供丰富的食物,足以养活比现在生活在这里的更加多 的动物。仅仅就本农场而言,可以供养十二匹马、二十 头牛和几百只羊,全部都可以生活得很舒适,很有尊严, ② miserable ['mizarabl]a. 悲 但这种状态现在是无法想象的。而我们为何持续生活在 惨的:痛苦的 这种悲惨的处境中呢?因为我们劳动的成果几乎全部都 被人类窃取了。同志们,我们的全部问题都有答案啦。 可以归结为一个字-人。人是我们唯一真正的敌人。 把人从现在的世界中驱逐出去,导致我们忍饥挨饿和过 度劳累的祸根便永远消除了。 “人类是唯一只会消费不会生产的生灵。他们不能 ③ plough[plau]n. 犁 提供奶,不会下蛋;过于屠弱,不能犁地;跑不快,速 不着兔子。然而,他们却是所有动物的主人。他们迫使 动物们劳动,而回报给动物的东西却少之又少,只要不 ④till[til]v耕,犁 dung[dan]n.粪 饿死就行,剩下的都被他们撰为已有。我们用自已的劳 力耕耘着土地,我们用自已的粪便让土地肥沃,但是, 我们除了一身皮毛却一无所有。站在我前面的几头奶 牛,你们去年产了多少千加仑奶呢?那些本该把小牛 犊喂得健壮的奶到哪儿去了呢?每一滴奶都进入到了我 sturdy f'stxdi]a.强壮的 calflkaf]n.小牛 们的敌人的喉咙管。你们这些母鸡,你们去年下了多少 枚蛋呢?那些蛋有多少枚孵成了小鸡呢?其余那些全部 ⑧ hatch[hetf门]v孵化 都拿到市场上去卖了,给琼斯和他那一帮人换成了钱。 此处加仑(gallon)为英美液量单位,一加仑等于四夸脱或八 品脱,即英制的4.546升,美制的3.785升。容量单位有干量(dry measure)和液量(liquidmeasure)之分,英美的容量单位折合成公 制时有所差别,例如:一(干量)夸脱等于英制的1.136升,美制的 1.101升:一(液量)夸脱等于英制的1.136升,美制的0.946升。一(干 量)蒲式耳(bushel)等于英制的36.368升,美制的35.239升,一(干 量)加仑(gallon,仅用于英制)等于4.546升。一(液量)加仑等于 英制4.546升,美制3.785升。一(干量)品脱(pint)等于英制0.568升, 美制0.55升,一(液量)品脱等于英制0.568升,美制0.473升。 .009· ChapterI where are those four foals you bore, who should have been the support and pleasure of your old age? Each was sold at a year old-you will never see one of them again. In return for your four confinements^{} and all your labour in the fields, what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall? “And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach their natural span. For myself I do not grumble②, for I am one of the lucky ones. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. Such is the natural life of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkers^{③} who are sitting in front of me, every one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. To that horror we all must come-cows, pigs, hens, sheep. everyone. Even the horses and the dogs have no better fate. You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker{}, who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless, Jones ties a brick round their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond. “Is it not crystal clear. then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. Almost overnight we could become rich and free. What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul for the overthrow{} of the human race! That is my message to you, comrades: Rebellion! I do not know when that Rebellion will come. it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know, as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet, that sooner or later iustice will be done. Fix your eves on that, comrades throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious^{. .010: