Chapter 2

           Winstonpickedhiswayupthelanethroughdappledlightandshade,steppingoutintopoolsofgoldwherevertheboughsparted. Underthetreestotheleftofhimthegroundwasmistywithbluebells. Theairseemedtokissone’sskin. ItwasthesecondofMay. Fromsomewheredeeperintheheartofthewoodcamethedroningofring-doves. 

           Hewasabitearly. Therehadbeennodifficultiesaboutthejourney,andthegirlwassoevidentlyexperiencedthathewaslessfrightenedthanhewouldnormallyhavebeen. Presumablyshecouldbetrustedtofindasafeplace. IngeneralyoucouldnotassumethatyouweremuchsaferinthecountrythaninLondon. Therewerenotelescreens,ofcourse,buttherewasalwaysthedangerofconcealedmicrophonesbywhichyourvoicemightbepickedupandrecognized; besides,itwasnoteasytomakeajourneybyyourselfwithoutattractingattention. Fordistancesoflessthan100kilometresitwasnotnecessarytogetyourpassportendorsed,butsometimestherewerepatrolshangingabouttherailwaystations,whoexaminedthepapersofanyPartymembertheyfoundthereandaskedawkwardquestions. However,nopatrolshadappeared,andonthewalkfromthestationhehadmadesurebycautiousbackwardglancesthathewasnotbeingfollowed. Thetrainwasfullofproles,inholidaymoodbecauseofthesummeryweather. Thewooden-seatedcarriageinwhichhetravelledwasfilledtooverflowingbyasingleenormousfamily,rangingfromatoothlessgreat-grandmothertoamonth-oldbaby,goingouttospendanafternoonwith‘in-laws’inthecountry,and,astheyfreelyexplainedtoWinston,togetholdofalittleblack-marketbutter.