At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn.

这时，从外面传来一阵凶狠的汪汪叫声，紧接着，九条强壮的狗，戴着镶有青铜饰钉的项圈，跳进大仓谷里来。

They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.

他们径直扑向斯诺鲍，斯诺鲍在就要被咬上的最后一刻，才跳起来。

In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him.

他一下跑到门外，于是狗就在后面追。

Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase.

动物们都吓呆了，个个张口结舌，他们挤到门外注视着这场追逐。

Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road.

斯诺鲍飞奔着穿过通向大路的牧场。

He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels.

他使出浑身解数拼命地跑着，而狗已经接近他的后蹄子。

Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him.

突然间，他滑倒了，眼看着就要被他们逮住。

Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again.

可他又重新起来，跑得更快了，但狗又一次赶上去。

One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball's tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time.

其中一条狗几乎就要咬住斯诺鲍的尾巴了，幸而斯诺鲍及时甩开了尾巴。

Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare, slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.

接着他又一个冲刺，和狗不过一步之差，从树篱中的一个缺口窜了出去，再也看不到了。

Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn.

动物们惊愕地爬回大谷仓。

In a moment the dogs came bounding back.

不一会儿，那些狗又汪汪地叫着跑回来。

At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved.

刚开始时，动物们都想不出这些家伙是从哪儿来的，但问题很快就弄明白了。

They were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately.

他们正是早先被拿破仑从他们的母亲身边带走的那些狗崽子，被拿破仑偷偷地养着。

Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves.

他们尽管还没有完全长大，但个头都不小，看上去凶得象狼。

They kept close to Napoleon.

他们始终紧挨着拿破仑。

It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.

大家都注意到，他们对他摆着尾巴，那姿势，竟和别的狗过去对琼斯先生的做法一模一样。

Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech.

这时，拿破仑在狗的尾随下，登上那个当年麦哲发表演讲的凸台。

He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end.

他宣布，从今以后，星期天早晨的大会议就此告终。

They were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time.

他说，那些会议毫无必要，又浪费时间。

In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself.

此后一切有关庄园工作的议题，将有一个由猪组成的特别委员会定夺，这个委员会由他亲自统管。

These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others.

他们将在私下碰头，然后把有关决策传达给其他动物。