1984
Chapter 1
Itwasallguesswork:verylikelyhehadimaginedeverything. HehadgonebacktohiscubiclewithoutlookingatO’Brienagain. Theideaoffollowinguptheirmomentarycontacthardlycrossedhismind. Itwouldhavebeeninconceivablydangerousevenifhehadknownhowtosetaboutdoingit. Forasecond,twoseconds,theyhadexchangedanequivocalglance,andthatwastheendofthestory. Buteventhatwasamemorableevent,inthelockedlonelinessinwhichonehadtolive.
Winstonrousedhimselfandsatupstraighter. Heletoutabelch. Theginwasrisingfromhisstomach.
Hiseyesre-focusedonthepage. Hediscoveredthatwhilehesathelplesslymusinghehadalsobeenwriting,asthoughbyautomaticaction. Anditwasnolongerthesamecramped,awkwardhandwritingasbefore. Hispenhadslidvoluptuouslyoverthesmoothpaper,printinginlargeneatcapitals:
DOWNWITHBIGBROTHER
DOWNWITHBIGBROTHER
DOWNWITHBIGBROTHER
DOWNWITHBIGBROTHER
DOWNWITHBIGBROTHER
overandoveragain,fillinghalfapage.
Hecouldnothelpfeelingatwingeofpanic.
