1984

           Herememberedthinkingatthetime:Thatpoordevilisdonefor. Andwhatwasfrighteningwasthattheactionwasquitepossiblyunconscious. Themostdeadlydangerofallwastalkinginyoursleep. Therewasnowayofguardingagainstthat,sofarashecouldsee. 

           Hedrewhisbreathandwentonwriting: 

           Iwentwithherthroughthedoorwayandacrossabackyardintoabasementkitchen. Therewasabedagainstthewall,andalamponthetable,turneddownverylow.She—— 

           Histeethweresetonedge. Hewouldhavelikedtospit. SimultaneouslywiththewomaninthebasementkitchenhethoughtofKatharine,hiswife. Winstonwasmarried—hadbeenmarried,atanyrate: probablyhestillwasmarried,sofarasheknewhiswifewasnotdead. Heseemedtobreatheagainthewarmstuffyodourofthebasementkitchen,anodourcompoundedofbugsanddirtyclothesandvillainouscheapscent,butneverthelessalluring,becausenowomanofthePartyeverusedscent,orcouldbeimaginedasdoingso. Onlytheprolesusedscent. Inhismindthesmellofitwasinextricablymixedupwithfornication. 

           Whenhehadgonewiththatwomanithadbeenhisfirstlapseintwoyearsorthereabouts. Consortingwithprostituteswasforbidden,ofcourse,butitwasoneofthoserulesthatyoucouldoccasionallynerveyourselftobreak. Itwasdangerous,butitwasnotalife-and-deathmatter. Tobecaughtwithaprostitutemightmeanfiveyearsinaforced-labourcamp:notmore,ifyouhadcommittednootheroffence. Anditwaseasyenough,providedthatyoucouldavoidbeingcaughtintheact.