Do you know the enemy who has come in the night and overthrown our windmill? SNOWBALL!’ he suddenly roared in a voice of thunder,
‘Snowball has done this thing!
In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious expulsion, this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year.
Comrades, here and now I pronounce the death sentence upon Snowball.
“Animal Hero, Second Class”, and half a bushel of apples to any animal who brings him to justice.
A full bushel to anyone who captures him alive!’
The animals were shocked beyond measure to learn that even Snowball could be guilty of such an action.
There was a cry of indignation, and everyone began thinking out ways of catching Snowball if he should ever come back.
Almost immediately the footprints of a pig were discovered in the grass at a little distance from the knoll.
They could only be traced for a few yards, but appeared to lead to a hole in the hedge.
Napoleon snuffed deeply at them and pronounced them to be Snowball's.
He gave it as his opinion that Snowball had probably come from the direction of Foxwood Farm.
‘No more delays, comrades!’ cried Napoleon when the footprints had been examined.
‘There is work to be done.
This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine.
We will teach this miserable traitor that he cannot undo our work so easily.
Remember, comrades, there must be no alteration in our plans: they shall be carried out to the day.
Forward, comrades!
Long live the windmill!
Long live Animal Farm!’
VII
It was a bitter winter.
The stormy weather was followed by sleet and snow, and then by a hard frost which did not break till well into February.
The animals carried on as best they could with the rebuilding of the windmill, well knowing that the outside world was watching them and that the envious human beings would rejoice and triumph if the mill were not finished on time.
Out of spite, the human beings pretended not to believe that it was Snowball who had destroyed the windmill: they said that it had fallen down because the walls were too thin.
The animals knew that this was not the case.
Still, it had been decided to build the walls three feet thick this time instead of eighteen inches as before, which meant collecting much larger quantities of stone.
For a long time the quarry was full of snowdrifts and nothing could be done.
Some progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed, but it was cruel work, and the animals could not feel so hopeful about it as they had felt before.
They were always cold, and usually hungry as well.
Only Boxer and Clover never lost heart.
Squealer made excellent speeches on the joy of service and the dignity of labour, but the other animals found more inspiration in Boxer's strength and his never-failing cry of
‘I will work harder!’
In January food fell short.
The corn ration was drastically reduced, and it was announced that an extra potato ration would be issued to make up for it.
Then it was discovered that the greater part of the potato crop had been frosted in the clamps, which had not been covered thickly enough.
The potatoes had become soft and discoloured, and only a few were edible.
For days at a time the animals had nothing to eat but chaff and mangels.
Starvation seemed to stare them in the face.
It was vitally necessary to conceal this fact from the outside world.
Emboldened by the collapse of the windmill, the human beings were inventing fresh lies about Animal Farm.
Once again it was being put about that all the animals were dying of famine and disease, and that they were continually fighting among themselves and had resorted to cannibalism and infanticide.
Napoleon was well aware of the bad results that might follow if the real facts of the food situation were known, and he decided to make use of Mr Whymper to spread a contrary impression.
Hitherto the animals had had little or no contact with Whymper on his weekly visits: now, however, a few selected animals, mostly sheep, were instructed to remark casually in his hearing that rations had been increased.
In addition. Napoleon ordered the almost empty bins in the store-shed to be filled nearly to the brim with sand, which was then covered up with what remained of the grain and meal.
On some suitable pretext Whymper was led through the store-shed and allowed to catch a glimpse of the bins.
He was deceived, and continued to report to the outside world that there was no food shortage on Animal Farm.
Nevertheless, towards the end of January it became obvious that it would be necessary to procure some more grain from somewhere.
In these days Napoleon rarely appeared in public, but spent all his time in the farmhouse, which was guarded at each door by fierce-looking dogs.
When he did emerge it was in a ceremonial manner, with an escort of six dogs who closely surrounded him and growled if anyone came too near.