1984
Chapter 3
Somewherenearathand,thoughoutofsight,therewasaclear,slow-movingstreamwheredacewereswimminginthepoolsunderthewillowtrees.
Thegirlwithdarkhairwascomingtowardsthemacrossthefield. Withwhatseemedasinglemovementshetoreoffherclothesandflungthemdisdainfullyaside. Herbodywaswhiteandsmooth,butitarousednodesireinhim,indeedhebarelylookedatit. Whatoverwhelmedhiminthatinstantwasadmirationforthegesturewithwhichshehadthrownherclothesaside. Withitsgraceandcarelessnessitseemedtoannihilateawholeculture,awholesystemofthought, asthoughBigBrotherandthePartyandtheThoughtPolicecouldallbesweptintonothingnessbyasinglesplendidmovementofthearm. Thattoowasagesturebelongingtotheancienttime. Winstonwokeupwiththeword‘Shakespeare’onhislips.
Thetelescreenwasgivingforthanear-splittingwhistlewhichcontinuedonthesamenoteforthirtyseconds. Itwasnoughtsevenfifteen,getting-uptimeforofficeworkers. Winstonwrenchedhisbodyoutofbed —naked,foramemberoftheOuterPartyreceivedonly3,000clothingcouponsannually,andasuitofpyjamaswas600 —andseizedadingysingletandapairofshortsthatwerelyingacrossachair. ThePhysicalJerkswouldbegininthreeminutes. Thenextmomenthewasdoubledupbyaviolentcoughingfitwhichnearlyalwaysattackedhimsoonafterwakingup. Itemptiedhislungssocompletelythathecouldonlybeginbreathingagainbylyingonhisbackandtakingaseriesofdeepgasps. Hisveinshadswelledwiththeeffortofthecough,andthevaricoseulcerhadstarteditching.
‘Thirtytofortygroup! ’yappedapiercingfemalevoice.
