1984

           Bysittinginthealcove,andkeepingwellback,Winstonwasabletoremainoutsidetherangeofthetelescreen,sofarassightwent. Hecouldbeheard,ofcourse, butsolongashestayedinhispresentpositionhecouldnotbeseen. Itwaspartlytheunusualgeographyoftheroomthathadsuggestedtohimthething thathewasnowabouttodo. 

           Butithadalsobeensuggestedbythebookthathehadjusttakenoutofthedrawer. Itwasapeculiarlybeautifulbook. Itssmoothcreamypaper,alittleyellowedbyage, wasofakindthathadnotbeenmanufacturedforatleastfortyyearspast. Hecouldguess,however,thatthebookwasmucholderthanthat. Hehadseenitlyinginthewindowofafrowsylittlejunk-shopinaslummyquarterofthetown (justwhatquarterhedidnotnowremember) andhadbeenstrickenimmediatelybyanoverwhelmingdesiretopossessit. Partymembersweresupposednottogointoordinaryshops (‘dealingonthefreemarket’,itwascalled), buttherulewasnotstrictlykept, becausetherewerevariousthings, suchasshoelacesandrazorblades,whichitwasimpossibletogetholdofinanyotherway. Hehadgivenaquickglanceupanddownthestreet andthenhadslippedinsideandboughtthebookfortwodollarsfifty. Atthetimehewasnotconsciousofwantingitforanyparticularpurpose. Hehadcarrieditguiltilyhomeinhisbriefcase. Evenwithnothingwritteninit,itwasacompromisingpossession. 

           Thethingthathewasabouttodowastoopenadiary. Thiswasnotillegal (nothingwasillegal,sincetherewerenolongeranylaws), butifdetecteditwasreasonablycertain thatitwouldbepunishedbydeath,oratleastbytwenty-fiveyearsinaforced-labourcamp. Winstonfittedanibintothepenholder andsuckedittogetthegreaseoff.