1984

           Thesmallestthingcouldgiveyouaway. Anervoustic,anunconsciouslookofanxiety,ahabitofmutteringtoyourself —anythingthatcarriedwithitthesuggestionofabnormality,ofhavingsomethingtohide. Inanycase,towearanimproperexpressiononyourface(tolookincredulouswhenavictorywasannounced,forexample)wasitselfapunishableoffence. TherewasevenawordforitinNewspeak:FACECRIME,itwascalled. 

           Thegirlhadturnedherbackonhimagain. Perhapsafterallshewasnotreallyfollowinghimabout, perhapsitwascoincidencethatshehadsatsoclosetohimtwodaysrunning. Hiscigarettehadgoneout,andhelaiditcarefullyontheedgeofthetable. Hewouldfinishsmokingitafterwork,ifhecouldkeepthetobaccoinit. QuitelikelythepersonatthenexttablewasaspyoftheThoughtPolice, andquitelikelyhewouldbeinthecellarsoftheMinistryofLovewithinthreedays,butacigaretteendmustnotbewasted. Symehadfoldeduphisstripofpaperandstoweditawayinhispocket. Parsonshadbeguntalkingagain. 

           ‘DidIevertellyou,oldboy,’hesaid,chucklingroundthestemofhispipe, ‘aboutthetimewhenthosetwonippersofminesetfiretotheoldmarket-woman’sskirt becausetheysawherwrappingupsausagesinaposterofB.B.? Sneakedupbehindherandsetfiretoitwithaboxofmatches. Burnedherquitebadly,Ibelieve. Littlebeggars,eh? Butkeenasmustard! That’safirst-ratetrainingtheygivethemintheSpiesnowadays—betterthaninmyday,even. Whatd’youthink’sthelatestthingthey’veservedthemoutwith? Eartrumpetsforlisteningthroughkeyholes! Mylittlegirlbroughtonehometheothernight—trieditoutonoursitting-roomdoor, andreckonedshecouldheartwiceasmuchaswithhereartothehole. Ofcourseit’sonlyatoy,mindyou. Still,gives’emtherightidea,eh?’