1984
Chapter 1
Alonglineoftrucks, withwooden-facedguardsarmedwithsub-machinegunsstandinguprightineachcorner,waspassingslowlydownthestreet. Inthetruckslittleyellowmeninshabbygreenishuniformsweresquatting,jammedclosetogether. Theirsad,Mongolianfacesgazedoutoverthesidesofthetrucksutterlyincurious. Occasionallywhenatruckjoltedtherewasaclank-clankofmetal:alltheprisonerswerewearingleg-irons. Truck-loadaftertruck-loadofthesadfacespassed. Winstonknewtheyweretherebuthesawthemonlyintermittently. Thegirl’sshoulder,andherarmrightdowntotheelbow,werepressedagainsthis. Hercheekwasalmostnearenoughforhimtofeelitswarmth. Shehadimmediatelytakenchargeofthesituation,justasshehaddoneinthecanteen. Shebeganspeakinginthesameexpressionlessvoiceasbefore,withlipsbarelymoving,ameremurmureasilydrownedbythedinofvoicesandtherumblingofthetrucks.
‘Canyouhearme?’
‘Yes.’
‘CanyougetSundayafternoonoff?’
‘Yes.’
‘Thenlistencarefully. You’llhavetorememberthis. GotoPaddingtonStation——’
Withasortofmilitaryprecisionthatastonishedhim,sheoutlinedtheroutethathewastofollow. Ahalf-hourrailwayjourney;turnleftoutsidethestation; twokilometresalongtheroad;agatewiththetopbarmissing;apathacrossafield; agrass-grownlane;atrackbetweenbushes;adeadtreewithmossonit. Itwasasthoughshehadamapinsideherhead. ‘Canyourememberallthat?’shemurmuredfinally.
