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. The other animals sitting round her took it up，and they sang it three times over—very tunefully，but slowly and mournfully【adv. 悲哀地；凄惨地】，in a way they had never sung it before.
最后，她觉得实在找不到合适的词来代替，于是就开始唱“英格兰兽”。围坐在她周围的动物跟着唱起来。他们唱了三遍，唱得非常和谐，但节奏缓慢而凄厉。他们以前从没用这种方式唱过这支歌。
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. He announced that，by a special decree【n. 法令；判决】 of Comrade Napoleon，Beasts of England had been abolished. From now onwards it was forbidden to sing it.
他们刚唱完第三遍，斯奎拉在两只狗的陪伴下向他们走来，一副有什么重要话要对他们说的神气。他宣布，根据拿破仑同志的一项特别法令，英格兰兽已被废除。从现在起，不许唱这首歌。
The animals were taken aback【adv. 向后；处于顶风位置；向后地；吓了一跳】.
“Why？”cried Muriel.
动物们吃了一惊。
“为什么?”穆里尔喊道。
“It is no longer needed，comrade，”said Squealer stiffly. “Beasts of England was the song of the Rebellion. But the Rebellion is now completed. The excution of the traitors this afternoon was the final act. The enemy both external【adj. 外部的；表面的；[药] 外用的；外国的；外面的】 and internal has been defeated. In Beasts of England we expressed our longing for a better society in days to come. But that society has now been established. Clearly this song has no longer any purpose.”
“现在不需要了，同志们，”斯奎拉生硬地说。"英格兰兽是叛乱之歌。但是叛乱现在已经完成了。今天下午对卖国贼的处决是最后的行动。外部和内部的敌人都被打败了。在《英格兰兽》中，我们表达了对未来美好社会的向往。但是这个社会现在已经建立起来了。显然这首歌已经没有任何意义了。”
Frightened though they were，some of the animals might possibly have protested，but at this moment the sheep set up their usually bleating of “Four legs good，two legs bad，”which went on for several minutes and put an end to the discussion.
虽然大家都很害怕，还是有些动物可能要提出抗议。可是，就在这时，羊又像往常一样咩咩地叫起来:“四条腿好，两条腿坏。”就这样持续了几分钟，争论就此宣告结束。
So Beasts of England was heard no more. In its place Minutes，the poet，had composed another song which began：
Animal Farm，Animal Farm，
Never through me shalt thou come to harm！
从此再也听不到英格兰兽的声音了。在它的位置上，诗人又谱写了另一首歌，开头是:
动物农场,动物农场,
你永远不会因我而受到伤害!
And this was sung every Sunday morning after the hoisting of the flag. But somehow neither the words nor the tune ever seemed to the animals to come up to Beasts of England.
每个星期天早晨升旗之后都唱这首歌。但不知怎的，在动物们看来，无论是歌词还是曲调，似乎都比不上英国兽。
网友评论