1984

           Theyardseemedtobefullofmen. Somethingwasbeingdraggedacrossthestones. Thewoman’ssinginghadstoppedabruptly. Therewasalong,rollingclang,asthoughthewashtubhadbeenflungacrosstheyard,andthenaconfusionofangryshoutswhichendedinayellofpain. 

           ‘Thehouseissurrounded,’saidWinston. 

           ‘Thehouseissurrounded,’saidthevoice. 

           HeheardJuliasnapherteethtogether. ‘Isupposewemayaswellsaygood-bye,’shesaid. 

           ‘Youmayaswellsaygood-bye,’saidthevoice. Andthenanotherquitedifferentvoice,athin,cultivatedvoicewhichWinstonhadtheimpressionofhavingheardbefore,struckin; ‘Andbytheway,whileweareonthesubject, "Herecomesacandletolightyoutobed,herecomesachoppertochopoffyourhead"!’ 

           SomethingcrashedontothebedbehindWinston’sback. Theheadofaladderhadbeenthrustthroughthewindowandhadburstintheframe. Someonewasclimbingthroughthewindow.Therewasastampedeofbootsupthestairs. Theroomwasfullofsolidmeninblackuniforms,withiron-shodbootsontheirfeetandtruncheonsintheirhands. 

           Winstonwasnottremblinganylonger. Evenhiseyeshebarelymoved. Onethingalonemattered;tokeepstill,tokeepstillandnotgivethemanexcusetohityou! Amanwithasmoothprize-fighter’sjowlinwhichthemouthwasonlyaslitpausedoppositehimbalancinghistruncheonmeditativelybetweenthumbandforefinger. Winstonmethiseyes.