Chapter 3

           Winstonwasdreamingofhismother. 

           Hemust,hethought,havebeentenorelevenyearsoldwhenhismotherhaddisappeared. Shewasatall,statuesque,rathersilentwomanwithslowmovementsandmagnificentfairhair. Hisfatherherememberedmorevaguelyasdarkandthin,dressedalwaysinneatdarkclothes(Winstonrememberedespeciallytheverythinsolesofhisfather’sshoes)andwearingspectacles. Thetwoofthemmustevidentlyhavebeenswallowedupinoneofthefirstgreatpurgesofthefifties. 

           Atthismomenthismotherwassittinginsomeplacedeepdownbeneathhim,withhisyoungsisterinherarms. Hedidnotrememberhissisteratall,exceptasatiny,feeblebaby,alwayssilent,withlarge,watchfuleyes. Bothofthemwerelookingupathim. Theyweredowninsomesubterraneanplace—thebottomofawell,forinstance,oraverydeepgrave—butitwasaplacewhich,alreadyfarbelowhim,wasitselfmovingdownwards. Theywereinthesaloonofasinkingship,lookingupathimthroughthedarkeningwater. Therewasstillairinthesaloon,theycouldstillseehimandhethem,butallthewhiletheyweresinkingdown,downintothegreenwaterswhichinanothermomentmusthidethemfromsightforever. Hewasoutinthelightandairwhiletheywerebeingsuckeddowntodeath,andtheyweredowntherebecausehewasuphere. Heknewitandtheyknewit,andhecouldseetheknowledgeintheirfaces. Therewasnoreproacheitherintheirfacesorintheirhearts,onlytheknowledgethattheymustdieinorderthathemightremainalive,andthatthiswaspartoftheunavoidableorderofthings.