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The animals were all at work weeding turnips under the supervision of a pig, when they were astonished to see Benjamin come galloping from the direction of the farm buildings, braying at the top of his voice.
動物們都在豬的監督下做婚禮用的蘿卜，忽然，他們驚訝地看著本杰明從莊園窩棚那邊飛奔而來，一邊還扯著嗓子大叫著。
It was the first time that they had ever seen Benjamin excited.
這是他們第一次見到本杰明如此激動。
Indeed, it was the first time that anyone had ever seen him gallop.
事實上，也是第一次看到他奔跑。
"Quick, quick!" he shouted. "Come at once! They're taking Boxer away!"
"快，快！"他大聲喊著，"快來呀！他們要拉走鮑克瑟！"
Without waiting for orders from the pig, the animals broke off work and raced back to the farm buildings.
沒等豬下命令，動物們全都放下活計，迅速跑回去了。
Sure enough, there in the yard was a large closed van, drawn by two horses,
果然，院子里停著一輛大篷車，由兩匹馬拉著，
with lettering on its side and a sly-looking man in a low-crowned bowler hat sitting on the driver's seat.
車邊上寫著字，駕車人的位置上坐著一個男人，陰沉著臉，頭戴一頂低檐圓禮帽。
And Boxer's stall was empty.
鮑克瑟的棚子空著。
The animals crowded round the van.
動物們圍住車。
"Good-bye, Boxer!" they chorused, "good-bye!"
異口同聲地說："再見，鮑克瑟！再見！"
"Fools! Fools!" shouted Benjamin, prancing round them and stamping the earth with his small hoofs.
"笨蛋！傻瓜！"本杰明喊著，繞著他們一邊跳，一邊用他的小蹄掌敲打著地面。
"Fools! Do you not see what is written on the side of that van?"
"傻瓜！你們沒看見車邊上寫著什么嗎？"
That gave the animals pause, and there was a hush.
這下子，動物們猶豫了，場面也靜了下來。
Muriel began to spell out the words.
穆麗爾開始拼讀那些字。
But Benjamin pushed her aside and in the midst of a deadly silence he read:
可本杰明卻把她推到了一邊，他自己就在死一般的寂靜中念到：
"'Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler, Willingdon.
"'威靈頓，艾夫列?西蒙茲，屠馬商兼煮膠商。
Dealer in Hides and Bone-Meal. Kennels Supplied.'
皮革商兼供應狗食的骨粉商。'
Do you not understand what that means?
你們不明白這是什么意思嗎？
They are taking Boxer to the knacker's!"
他們要把鮑克瑟拉到在宰馬場去！"
A cry of horror burst from all the animals.
聽到這些，所有的動物都突然迸發出一陣恐懼的哭嚎。
At this moment the man on the box whipped up his horses and the van moved out of the yard at a smart trot.
就在這時，坐在車上的那個人揚鞭催馬，馬車在一溜小跑中離開大院。
All the animals followed, crying out at the tops of their voices.
所有的動物都跟在后面，拼命地叫喊著。
Clover forced her way to the front.
克拉弗硬擠到最前面。
The van began to gather speed.
這時，馬車開始加速。
Clover tried to stir her stout limbs to a gallop, and achieved a canter.
克拉弗也試圖加快她那粗壯的四肢趕上去，并且越跑越快。
"Boxer!" she cried, "Boxer! Boxer! Boxer!"
"鮑克瑟！"她哭喊道，"鮑克瑟！鮑克瑟！鮑克瑟！"
And just at this moment, as though he had heard the uproar outside, Boxer's face, with the white stripe down his nose,
恰在這時，好像鮑克瑟聽到了外面的喧囂聲，他的面孔，帶著一道直通鼻子的白毛，
appeared at the small window at the back of the van.
出現在車后的小窗子里。
