← Let us put it to the vote. I propose this question to the meeting: Are rats comrades?" 🔊
← The pellets buried themselves in the wall of the barn and the meeting broke up hurriedly. 🔊
← Several nights a week, after Mr. Jones was asleep, they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others. 🔊
← They were unfailing in their attendance at the secret meetings in the barn, and led the singing of Beasts of England, with which the meetings always ended. 🔊
← After the hoisting of the flag all the animals trooped into the big barn for a general assembly which was known as the Meeting. 🔊
← The Meeting always ended with the singing of Beasts of England, and the afternoon was given up to recreation. 🔊
← The earth was like iron, and nothing could be done in the fields. Many meetings were held in the big barn, and the pigs occupied themselves with planning out the work of the coming season. 🔊
← Each had his own following, and there were some violent debates. At the Meetings Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches, but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. 🔊
← He was especially successful with the sheep. Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad" both in and out of season, and they often interrupted the Meeting with this. 🔊
← At last the day came when Snowball's plans were completed. At the Meeting on the following Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmill was to be put to the vote. 🔊
← He announced that from now on the Sunday−morning Meetings would come to an end. 🔊
← Once again the animals were conscious of a vague uneasiness. Never to have any dealings with human beings, never to engage in trade, never to make use of money−had not these been among the earliest resolutions passed at that first triumphant Meeting after Jones was expelled? 🔊
← The four young pigs who had protested when Napoleon abolished the Meetings raised their voices timidly, but they were promptly silenced by a tremendous growling from the dogs. 🔊
← Napoleon now called upon them to confess their crimes. They were the same four pigs as had protested when Napoleon abolished the Sunday Meetings. 🔊
← Two days later the animals were called together for a special meeting in the barn. 🔊
← Meanwhile the timber was being carted away at high speed. When it was all gone, another special meeting was held in the barn for the animals to inspect Frederick's bank−notes. 🔊
← Napoleon himself appeared at the meeting on the following Sunday morning and pronounced a short oration in Boxer's honour. 🔊