1984

           ‘Listen.Themoremenyou’vehad,themoreIloveyou. Doyouunderstandthat?’ 

           ‘Yes,perfectly.’ 

           ‘Ihatepurity,Ihategoodness! Idon’twantanyvirtuetoexistanywhere. Iwanteveryonetobecorrupttothebones.’ 

           ‘Wellthen,Ioughttosuityou,dear. I’mcorrupttothebones.’ 

           ‘Youlikedoingthis? Idon’tmeansimplyme:Imeanthethinginitself?’ 

           ‘Iadoreit.’ 

           Thatwasaboveallwhathewantedtohear. Notmerelytheloveofonepersonbuttheanimalinstinct,thesimpleundifferentiateddesire:thatwastheforcethatwouldtearthePartytopieces. Hepressedherdownuponthegrass,amongthefallenbluebells. Thistimetherewasnodifficulty. Presentlytherisingandfallingoftheirbreastsslowedtonormalspeed,andinasortofpleasanthelplessnesstheyfellapart. Thesunseemedtohavegrownhotter. Theywerebothsleepy. Hereachedoutforthediscardedoverallsandpulledthempartlyoverher. Almostimmediatelytheyfellasleepandsleptforabouthalfanhour. 

           Winstonwokefirst. Hesatupandwatchedthefreckledface,stillpeacefullyasleep,pillowedonthepalmofherhand. Exceptforhermouth,youcouldnotcallherbeautiful. Therewasalineortworoundtheeyes,ifyoulookedclosely. Theshortdarkhairwasextraordinarilythickandsoft. Itoccurredtohimthathestilldidnotknowhersurnameorwhereshelived.