1984

           Winstonwasjusttakinghisplaceinoneofthemiddlerows whentwopeoplewhomheknewbysight, buthadneverspokento,cameunexpectedlyintotheroom. Oneofthemwasagirlwhomheoftenpassedinthecorridors. Hedidnotknowhername, butheknewthatsheworkedintheFictionDepartment. Presumably—sincehehadsometimesseenherwithoilyhandsandcarryingaspanner—shehadsomemechanicaljobononeofthenovel-writingmachines. Shewasabold-lookinggirl,ofabouttwenty-seven,withthickhair,afreckledface,andswift,athleticmovements. Anarrowscarletsash,emblemoftheJuniorAnti-SexLeague,waswoundseveraltimesroundthewaistofheroveralls, justtightlyenoughtobringouttheshapelinessofherhips. Winstonhaddislikedherfromtheveryfirstmomentofseeingher. Heknewthereason. Itwasbecauseoftheatmosphereofhockey-fields andcoldbathsandcommunityhikesandgeneralclean-mindednesswhichshemanagedtocarryaboutwithher. Hedislikednearlyallwomen,andespeciallytheyoungandprettyones. Itwasalwaysthewomen,andabovealltheyoungones,whowerethemostbigotedadherentsoftheParty, theswallowersofslogans,theamateurspies andnosers-outofunorthodoxy. Butthisparticulargirlgavehimtheimpressionofbeingmoredangerousthanmost. Oncewhentheypassedinthecorridorshegavehimaquicksidelongglance whichseemedtopiercerightintohimandforamomenthadfilledhimwithblackterror. TheideahadevencrossedhismindthatshemightbeanagentoftheThoughtPolice. That,itwastrue,wasveryunlikely. Still,hecontinuedtofeelapeculiaruneasiness,whichhadfearmixedupinitaswellashostility,whenevershewasanywherenearhim.