Chapter 3 第三章-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《动物农场Animal Farm》

Chapter III How they toiled and sweated to get the hay in!But their efforts were rewarded, for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had hoped. Sometimes the work was hard:the implements had been designed for human beings and not for animals,and it was a great drawback that no animal was able to use any tool that involved standing on his hind legs.But the pigs were so clever that they could think of a way round every difficulty.As for the horses,they knew every inch of the field,and in fact understood the business of mowing and raking?far better than Jones and his men had ever done.The pigs did not actually work,but directed and supervised the others.With their superior knowledge it was natural that they should assume the leadership.Boxer and Clover would harness themselves to the cutter or the horse-rake (no bits or reins were needed in these days,of course)and tramp steadily round and round the field with a pig walking behind and calling out"Gee up,comrade!" or"Whoa back,comrade!"as the case might be.And every animal down to the humblest worked at turning the hay and gathering it.Even the ducks and hens toiled to and froall day in the sun,carrying tiny wisps of hay in their beaks. In the end they finished the harvest in two days'less time than it had usually taken Jones and his men.Moreover,it was the biggest harvest that the farm had ever seen.There was no wastage whatever,the hens and ducks with their sharp ·036· 第三章 为了把草料收割进来，他们不辞艰辛，挥洒汗水！ 但是，他们的努力获得了回报，因为收割行动取得了巨 大成功，大大超出了他们的预期。 有时候，要干的活儿很艰难，因为那些农具是替人 类而不是替动物设计的。这里出现了一个巨大的障碍， 即有些农具要求两条腿站立才能使用，而动物是无法使 用的。但是，几头猪很聪明，面对每一个困难，他们总 能够想出办法绕过去。至于那些马匹，他们对田地的每 ①mow{m3ug收割 一寸都很熟悉。事实上，对于割草和耙地这样的农活， ②rake[reik]g(用耙子) 轮 他们比琼斯和他的雇员都干得更加漂亮。猪实际上不干 ③supervise[sju:povaiz]k监 督 活儿，但负责指挥和监督其他动物劳动。他们凭着自己 更加丰富的知识，自然而然承担起了领导的责任。拳击 手和首蓿会给自己套上割草机或马拉耙（当然，现如今， ④tramp[remp]重力踩 ⑤gee up让马快跑 再也无须使用嚼子缰绳了)，步伐稳健，一圈又一圈地 在地里绕着，有头猪在后面走着，而且会根据情况的不 同，大声喊着：“加把劲，同志”或者“喔，退后，同志！” ⑥to and fro来回地 每一只动物都参加了翻草和收割的活动。连鸭子和母鸡 ⑦wisp[wisp]n.小把 ⑧beak[bik]n.喙 都整天在太阳下来回奔忙，辛勤劳作，用嘴衔着少之又 少的干草。最后，他们完成了收割任务，比琼斯和他的 ⑨wastage ['weistid3]n.损 雇员少用了两天时间。此外，这座农场从未出现过如此 失：耗损 喜人的丰收景象。没有一丝一毫的浪费，母鸡和鸭子凭 ·037· Chapter III eyes had gathered up the very last stalk And not an animal on the farm had stolen so much as a mouthful. All through that summer the work of the farm went like clockwork. The animals were happy as they had never conceived it possible to be.Every mouthful of food was an acute positive pleasure,now that it was truly their own food,produced by themselves and for themselves,not doled out?to them by a grudging master.With the worthless parasitical human beings gone, there was more for everyone to eat.There was more leisure too,inexperienced though the animals were.They met with many difficulties,for instance,later in the year,when they harvested the corn,they had to tread it out in the ancient style and blow away the chaff with their breath,since the farm possessed no threshing machine,but the pigs with their cleverness and Boxer with his tremendous muscles always pulled them through.Boxer was the admiration of everybody.He had been a hard worker even in Jones's time,but now he seemed more like three horses than one;there were days when the entire work of the farm seemed to rest on his mighty shoulders.From morning to night he was pushing and pulling,always at the spot where the work was hardest.He had made an arrangement with one of the cockerels to call him in the mornings half an hour earlier than anyone else,and would put in some volunteer labour at whatever seemed to be most needed,before the regular day's work began.His answer to every problem,every setback,was"I will work harder!"which he had adopted as his personal motto. But everyone worked according to his capacity.The hens and ducks,for instance,saved five bushels of corn at the harvest by gathering up the stray grains.Nobody stole,nobody grumbled over his rations,the quarrelling and biting and jealousy which had been normal features of life in the old days had almost disappeared.Nobody shirked or almost nobody.Mollie,it was true, was not good at getting up in the mornings,and had a way of leaving work early on the ground that there was a stone in her hoof.And the behaviour of the cat was somewhat peculiar.It was soon noticed that when there was work to be ·038· 第三章【 ①stalk[sto:k]n.(植物的） 着自己敏锐的目光，落下的最后一棵草梗都会收起来。 梗 农场上没有一只动物偷吃一口饲料。 整个夏天，农场上的活儿井然有序，像时钟一样精 准。动物们幸福愉快，如此情形他们过去无法想象。每 吃一口食物他们都会敏锐地感受到真真切切的快乐，因 ②dole out(少量地)发放 为那实实在在是他们自己的食物，由他们自己生产，为 ③grudging['grad3in]a.不 了他们自己生产，而不是由哪个抠门吝啬的主人施舍给 情愿的，吝啬的 parasitical [paera'sitikl]a 他们的。百无一用同时却过着寄生虫生活的人类被驱逐 寄生的 了，每只动物都有更多食物吃。同时也有了更多的闲暇 ⑤tread out用脚蹈碾（谷粒 时间，尽管动物们没有经验。他们遇到了许多困难，比 等) 如，到了下半年，动物要收获谷物了，由于农场上没有 ⑥chaff [tfa:f]m.谷壳 谷物脱粒机，他们只能采用古老的办法，用蹄子踩踏， ⑦threshing machine脱粒机 然后再用嘴吹去谷壳。但是，那些猪凭着自己聪明睿智 ⑧pull through渡过难关 的脑袋，拳击手凭着自己强壮无比的肌肉，总能克服种 种困难。拳击手是人人钦佩的对象。即便在琼斯统治的 时代，拳击手也是个卖力干活儿的好手，但是，现如今， 他似乎变成了三匹马，而非一匹。有那么一些日子，整 座农场上的活儿似乎都落在了他强壮的肩膀上。他从早 ⑨cockerel[kakaral]n.小公 鸡 到晚又是推又是拉的，总是出现在活儿最繁重的地方。 他已经同一只小公鸡约定好了，早晨比别的动物提前半 小时叫醒他，规定的劳动开始之前，到最需要的地方先 干一些义务活儿。面对每一个问题，每一次挫折，他的 回答都是：“我要更加卖力干活儿！”一他把这句话当 作自己的座右铭了。 ⑩bushel['bufal]n.蒲式耳 但是，每一只动物都会干自己力所能及的活儿。比 (谷物的容量单位) ⑩stray[strei]a.散落的 如说母鸡和鸭子吧，他们在收获季节里，收拾散落的谷 物，减少了五蒲式耳谷物的损失。没有任何动物偷窃， 没有任何动物对自己的饲料配额表达过抱怨。吵架拌 shirk[fxk]x开小差 嘴，相互撕咬，相互嫉妒，这些昔日生活中的常态，如 今全都销声匿迹了。没有任何动物偷懒懈怠一或者说 几乎没有。确实，莫莉早晨起床时显得不那么爽快，而 且也会以蹄子里面夹了石头为由，提前收工。而那只猫 ·039· Chapter III done the cat could never be found.She would vanish for hours on end,and then reappear at meal-times,or in the evening after work was over,as though nothing had happened.But she always made such excellent excuses,and purred so affectionately,that it was impossible not to believe in her good intentions. Old Benjamin,the donkey,seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion.He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either.About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion.When asked whether he was not happier now that Jones was gone,he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey,"and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer. On Sundays there was no work.Breakfast was an hour later than usual,and after breakfast there was a ceremony which was observed every week without fail.First came the hoisting of the flag,Snowball had found in the harness- room an old green tablecloth of Mrs.Jones's and had painted on it a hoof and a horn in white.This was run up the flagstaff in the farmhouse garden every Sunday morning.The flag was green,Snowball explained,to represent the green fields of England,while the hoof and horn signified the future Republic of the Animals which would arise when the human race had been finally overthrown. After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting.Here the work of the coming week was planned out and resolutions were put forward and debated. It was always the pigs who put forward the resolutions.The other animals understood how to vote,but could never think of any resolutions of their own. Snowball and Napoleon were by far the most active in the debates.But it was noticed that these two were never in agreement:whatever suggestion either of them made,the other could be counted on to oppose it.Even when it was resolved a thing no one could object to in itself-to set aside the small paddock behind the orchard as a home of rest for animals who were past work,there was a stormy debate over the correct retiring age for each class of animal.The ·040· 第三章 ①onend连续地 的表现显得有那么一点儿奇特。大家很快便就注意到 了，一有活儿要干时，猫便不见了踪影。她往往会一连 几个小时失踪，然后，到了用餐时间，或者傍晚活儿干 完了时，她便又重新冒出来了，好像什么事情都没有发 生过似的。但是，她总是可以找到绝妙的理由，而且呼 ②obstinate['obstinit]a.顽强 噜呼噜，声情并茂，让大家不相信她的良好心思都不 的 行。打从反抗运动爆发以来，那匹毛驴老本杰明似乎没 有发生什么变化。他如同琼斯统治的时期一样，干活儿 还是那样缓慢而又顽强，从不偷懒，也从不自告奋勇干 额外的活儿。关于反抗运动及其结果，他从不发表任何 看法。当被问到现在琼斯被赶走了，他是否感到高兴时， ③cryptic[kriptik]a.含义模 糊的 他只是会说“驴子寿命很长，你们中任何一位都看不见 驴子的尸体”，面对这个神乎其神的回答，其他动物只 能如此而已。 ④hoist[hoist]升起 星期天，大家无须干活儿。早餐比平常推后一个小 时。早餐过后，有个仪式，每个星期都要举行，从不间 断。首先是升旗。雪球在挽具房内找到了琼斯太太的一 块旧桌布，并用白色涂料在上面画了一只兽蹄和一个兽 角。每个星期天的早晨，这面旗子就会在农场主住宅花 园里的旗杆上升起来。旗帜是绿色的，雪球解释说，代 表英格兰绿色的田野，而那只兽蹄和那个兽角象征着未 来的动物共和国，那是在人类最终被推翻之后，必将要 诞生的。升旗仪式举行完毕后，动物们成群结队地进入 大谷仓，去参加一个叫作“会议”的大聚会。未来一个 星期的工作在此安排部署，大家提出各种动议，进行讨 论。动议一直都是由几头猪提出来的。其他动物懂得该 如何表决，但从来不考虑提出自己的议案。讨论过程中， 雪球和拿破仑极为活跃。但是，大家注意到，他们二位 从来都不会有一致的看法。他们不管谁提出建议，对方 一定会加以反对。有件事情己经决定了，即把果园后面 那一小片牧场预留给丧失劳动能力的动物建一处养老之 家，此事没有任何动物提出反对意见。即便在这样的情 ·041· Chapter III Meeting always ended with the singing of Beasts of England,and the afternoon was given up to recreation The pigs had set aside the harness-room as a headquarters for themselves. Here,in the evenings,they studied blacksmithing,carpentering,and other necessary arts from books which they had brought out of the farmhouse. Snowball also busied himself with organising the other animals into what he called Animal Committees.He was indefatigable at this.He formed the Egg Production Committee for the hens,the Clean Tails League for the cows,the Wild Comrades'Re-education Committee (the object of this was to tame the rats and rabbits),the Whiter Wool Movement for the sheep,and various others, besides instituting classes in reading and writing.On the whole,these projects were a failure.The attempt to tame the wild creatures,for instance,broke down almost immediately.They continued to behave very much as before,and when treated with generosity,simply took advantage of it.The cat joined the Re- education Committee and was very active in it for some days.She was seen one day sitting on a roof and talking to some sparrows who were just out of her reach.She was telling them that all animals were now comrades and that any sparrow who chose could come and perch on her paw but the sparrows kept their distance. The reading and writing classes,however,were a great success.By the autumn almost every animal on the farm was literate in some degree. As for the pigs,they could already read and write perfectly.The dogs learned to read fairly well,but were not interested in reading anything except the Seven Commandments.Muriel,the goat,could read somewhat better than the dogs,and sometimes used to read to the others in the evenings from scraps of newspaper which she found on the rubbish heap.Benjamin could read as well as any pig,but never exercised his faculty.So far as he knew,he said,there was nothing worth reading.Clover learnt the whole alphabet,but could not put words together.Boxer could not get beyond the letter D.He would trace out A, B,C,D,in the dust with his great hoof,and then would stand staring at the letters ·042· 第三章 况下，在确定每一种动物的退休年龄问题上，照样会爆 D recreation [.rekri'eifon]n. 娱乐 发出暴风雨般的争论。“会议”总是在《英格兰的性畜》 的歌声中结束，下午是娱乐时间。 ②blacksmithing 几头猪把挽具房辟为他们自己的指挥总部。他们把 [blak.smi0in]n.打铁 些书籍从农场主住宅里搬来了，晚上在此从书本上学 习铁匠工艺、木匠工艺，还有其他的必要工艺。雪球也 在忙着把其他动物组织起来，成立他所谓的“动物委员 ③indefatigable [indi'faetigabl]a.不屈不 会”。他干这件事情时可谓不屈不挠。他为母鸡组建了 挠的 “产蛋委员会”，为奶牛组建了“清洁尾巴社团”，还组 建了野生动物的“再教育委员会”（该组织旨在驯化耗 子和兔子)，还为绵羊发起了“羊毛增白运动”。除了设 立各种读写班之外，还有各种各样名头的东西。总体上 来说，这些计划项目都失败了。比如，驯化野生动物的 计划立刻中断了。他们一如既往，和过去的行为一模一 样。而一旦得到了宽容大度的对待，便会尽情地利用这 一点。那只猫加入了“再教育委员会”，而且在其中活 ④sparrow[spcrau]n.麻雀 跃了一些日子。一天，有动物看见，她坐在一个窝棚顶 上，对着一些麻雀说话，麻雀处在她够不着的地方。她 告诉他们说，所有动物现在都是同志了，麻雀随便哪一 ⑤paw[pa]h.爪子 只如若愿意都可栖息到她的爪子上。但是，麻雀们还是 保持着距离。 不过，读写班还是取得了巨大成功。到了秋季时， 农场上的每一只动物都在一定程度上能够识文断字了。 至于那几头猪，他们完全能够读写自如了。狗的阅 读能力也相当不错，但是，除了“七戒”之外，他没有 兴趣阅读任何材料。比起几条狗，山羊穆里尔的阅读能 力要强一些，有时候，夜间会把从垃圾堆里捡来的报纸 ⑥heap [hip].堆 上的片断读给其他动物听。本杰明的阅读能力不比任何 猪差，但就是从来都没有展示过自己的能力。他说，据 他所知，没有任何东西值得阅读。苜蓿学会了二十六个 英文字母，但就是不会拼字。拳击手认到字母D就认 不下去了。他能够用自己的大蹄子在泥土上画出A、B、 ·043· Chapter III with his ears back,sometimes shaking his forelock,trying with all his might to remember what came next and never succeeding.On several occasions,indeed, he did learn E,F,G,H,but by the time he knew them,it was always discovered that he had forgotten A,B,C,and D.Finally he decided to be content with the first four letters,and used to write them out once or twice every day to refresh his memory.Mollie refused to learn any but the six letters which spelt her own name.She would form these very neatly out of pieces of twig2,and would then decorate them with a flower or two and walk round them admiring them. None of the other animals on the farm could get further than the letter A.It was also found that the stupider animals,such as the sheep,hens,and ducks,were unable to learn the Seven Commandments by heart.After much thought Snowball declared that the Seven Commandments could in effect be reduced to a single maxim,namely:"Four legs good,two legs bad."This,he said,contained the essential principle of Animalism.Whoever had thoroughly grasped it would be safe from human influences.The birds at first objected, since it seemed to them that they also had two legs,but Snowball proved to them that this was not so. “A bird's wing,comrades,.”he said,.“is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation.It should therefore be regarded as a leg.The distinguishing mark of man is the hand,the instrument with which he does all his mischief . The birds did not understand Snowball's long words,but they accepted his explanation,and all the humbler animals set to work to learn the new maxim by heart.FOUR LEGS GOOD,TWO LEGS BAD,was inscribed on the end wall of the barn,above the Seven Commandments and in bigger letters.When they had once got it by heart,the sheep developed a great liking for this maxim,and often as they lay in the field they would all start bleating"Four legs good,two legs bad!Four legs good,two legs bad!"and keep it up for hours on end,never growing tired of it. Napoleon took no interest in Snowball's committees.He said that the ·044· 第三章 ①forelock[fo:lok]n.额毛 C、D,然后伫立在那儿目不转睛地盯住字母看，两只 耳朵朝后竖着，时而抖一抖额毛，设法回想着接下来的 字母，但就是想不起来。确实，有好几次，他学会了 认E、F、G、H,等到他熟悉了这几个字母后，却又总 是发现，先前认识的A、B、C、D又给忘记了。最后， 他决定，自己还是满足于头四个字母吧，通常每天书写 一两遍，以便记忆。莫莉除了学习拼写自己名字的六个 ②twig [twig]n.细枝，嫩枝 字母'之外，拒绝学习任何字母。她用一些树枝的枝条 便可以整整齐齐地把六个字母摆出来，然后还会用一两 朵花装饰一下，围着它们转圈，得意地欣赏着。 至于农场上的其他动物，没有学了超过字母A的。 大家还发现，那些更加愚笨的动物们，诸如绵羊、母鸡， ③maxim['macksim]n.格言 还有鸭子，“七戒”的内容都记不住。左思右想之后， 雪球宣布，“七戒”实际上可以概括成一句单独的格言， 即“四条腿好，两条腿坏”。他说，这句格言涵盖了动 物思想的核心原则。无论哪一位，一旦彻底吃透了其精 神实质，那就可以稳稳当当地不受人类的影响。禽类一 开始时表示反对，因为他们觉得，他们自己也是两条腿 propulsion [prau'pAlfan]n. 的，但雪球向他们证明了，情况并不是这么回事。 推进力 “同志们，”他说，“禽类的翅膀是一个起推进作用 ⑤manipulation [mo,nipju'leifon]n.操纵 的器官，而不是起操纵作用的。因此，可以看作是腿。 ⑥mischief[mistfif]n.危 害：祸害 人类起区别作用的标志是手，那可是他们用于使坏的利 器啊。” 禽类们听不懂雪球冗长的词汇，但他们接受他的解 释，所有更加低等的动物全都着手背诵这条新的格言。 “四条腿好，两条腿坏”写在大谷仓的边墙上面，位于 “七戒”之上，字体更大。等到他们背下来了之后，绵 羊便喜欢上了这条格言。他们躺在田地里时，常常会咩 咩地叫起来：“四条腿好，两条腿坏！”然后便连续几个 小时这样念叨着，从不感到厌烦。 拿破仑对于雪球的各种委员会毫无兴趣。他说，相 1莫莉的英文是Mollie.. ·045·