動物農(nóng)場Animal Farm 第7章(10)

Such were her thoughts, though she lacked the words to express them.

這就是她所想的，盡管她還一下說不清。

At 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'.

最后，她覺得實在找不到什么合適的措詞，而只能換個方式來表達，于是便開始唱"英格蘭獸"。

The 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.

圍在她周圍的動物跟著唱起來，他們唱了三遍，唱得十分和諧，但卻緩慢而凄然，他們以前還從沒有用這種唱法唱過這支歌。

They 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.

他們剛唱完第三遍，斯奎拉就在兩條狗的陪同下，面帶著要說什么大事的神情向他們走過來。

He announced that, by a special decree of Comrade Napoleon, 'Beasts of England' had been abolished.

他宣布，遵照拿破侖同志的一項特別命令，"英格蘭獸"已被廢止了。

From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it.

從今以后禁止再唱這首歌。

The animals were taken aback.

動物們怔住了。

"Why?" cried Muriel.

"為什么?穆麗爾囔道。

"It's no longer needed, comrade," said Squealer stiffly.

"不需要了，同志們，"斯奎拉冷冷地說到。

"'Beasts of England' was the song of the Rebellion.

'英格蘭獸'是起義用的歌。

But the Rebellion is now completed.

但起義已經(jīng)成功。

The execution of the traitors this afternoon was the final act.

今天下午對叛徒的處決就是最后的行動。

The enemy both external and internal has been defeated.

內(nèi)患仇敵已經(jīng)全部打垮了。

In 'Beasts of England' we expressed our longing for a better society in days to come.

我們在'英格蘭獸'中表達的是在當時對未來美好社會的渴望。

But that society has now been established.

但這個社會現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)建立。

Clearly this song has no longer any purpose."

這首歌明顯不再有任何意義了。"

Frightened 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,"

他們感到害怕，可是，恐怕還是有些動物要提出抗議。但就在這時，羊大聲地咩咩叫起那套老調(diào)子來："四條腿好，兩條腿壞。"

which went on for several minutes and put an end to the discussion.

持續(xù)了好幾分鐘，也就結束了這場爭議。

So 'Beasts of England' was heard no more.

于是再也聽不到"英格蘭獸"這首歌了。

In its place Minimus, the poet, had composed another song which began:

取而代之的，是善寫詩的梅尼繆斯寫的另外一首歌，它是這樣開頭的：

Animal Farm, Animal Farm, never through me shall thou come to harm!

動物莊園，動物莊園，我永遠不會損害您!

And this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag.

從此，每個星期天早晨升旗之后就唱這首歌。

But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to 'Beasts of England'.

但不知怎么搞的，對動物們來說，無論是詞還是曲，這首歌似乎都不再能和"英格蘭獸"相提并論了。