Sure enough，there in the yard was a large closed van，drawn by two houses，with lettering on its side and a sly【adj. 狡猾的；淘气的；诡密的】-looking man in a low-crowned【adj. （牙齿）人造冠的；有王冠的；带有……冠的】 bowler hat 【圆顶高帽，圆顶硬礼帽】sitting on the driver's seat. And Boxer’s stall was empty.
果然，院子里有一辆封闭的大货车，由两匹马拉着，车上有几个字，车夫座上坐着一个看上去很狡猾的人，戴着一顶低顶圆顶礼帽。鲍克瑟的马厩空着。
THE animals crowded round the van. “Good-bye，Boxer！”they chorused【合唱】， “good-bye！”
动物们簇拥在客货两用车周围。“再见,鲍克瑟!”他们异口同声,“再见!”
“Fools！Fools！”shouted Benjamin，prancing【v. 昂首阔步；（马）后足立地腾跃】 round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs. “Fools！Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?”
“傻瓜!傻瓜!”本杰明喊着，围着他们跳着，用他的小蹄子跺着地面。“傻瓜!你没看见车的侧面写着什么吗?”
That gave the animals pause，and there was a hush【n. 寂静，安静；（人造的）喷水】. Muriel began to spell out the words. But Benjamin pushed her aside and in the midst【n. 当中，中间】 of a deadly silence he read：
这使动物们停顿了一下，大家安静下来。穆丽尔开始把字拼出来。但是本杰明把她推到一边，在一片死寂中他读到:
“’Alfred Simmonds，Horse Slaughter and Glue Boiler，Willingdon. Dealer【n. 经销商；商人】 in Hides【n. 兽皮（hide的复数）；躲藏处】 and Bone-Meal【骨粉（可用作动物饲料或肥料）】. Kennels【n. 狗舍】 Supplied.’ Do you not understand what that means？They are taking Boxer to the knacker’s【n. 屠马业者；收买废屋船业者】！”
“‘威灵顿，屠宰马和煮胶工的阿尔弗雷德·西蒙兹。兽皮和骨粉商人。犬舍提供。“你们不明白这是什么意思吗?”他们要把鲍克瑟带到屠马店去!”
A cry of horror burst from all the animals. At this moment the man on the box whipped up his horses and the van moved out of the yard at a smart trot【n. （人）慢跑；马小跑的步态；小跑的马蹄声；刚学步的小孩；老太婆；腹泻；（学生作弊用的）译文对照本】. All the animals followed，crying out at the tops of their voices. Clover forced her way to the front. The van began to gather speed. Clover tried to stir【v. 搅拌；微动；（使）活动；激发，打动；（非正式）挑拨；传播】 her stout【adj. （人）肥胖的；（物体）结实的；坚决的；强有力的】 limbs【n. [解剖] 四肢（limb的复数）】 to a gallop，and achieved a canter【n. 慢跑；流浪汉】. “Boxer！” She cried. “Boxer！Boxer！Boxer！”And just at this moment，as though he had heard the uproar outside，Boxer’s face，with the white stripe down his nose，appeared at the small window at the back of the van.
所有的动物突然发出一声恐怖的叫声。这时，坐在马车上的人抽了抽马，马车飞快地小跑着驶出了院子。所有的动物都跟在后面，声嘶力竭地叫喊着。克拉弗挤到前面。货车开始加速。克拉弗试着策动她那粗壮的四肢，策马疾驰，跑得差不多了。“鲍克瑟!”她哭了。“鲍克瑟!鲍克瑟!鲍克瑟!”就在这时，鲍克瑟仿佛听到了外面的喧闹声，他的脸，那一道白条一直垂到鼻子上，出现在车后面的小窗户里。
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