1984 - Planet eBook

ar rosebud from a cake, rolled across the mat. How small,thought Winston, how small it always was! There was a gaspand a thump behind him, and he received a violent kick onthe ankle which nearly flung him off his balance. One of themen had smashed his fist into Julia’s solar plexus, doublingher up like a pocket ruler. She was thrashing about on thefloor, fighting for breath. Winston dared not turn his headeven by a millimetre, but sometimes her livid, gasping facecame within the angle of his vision. Even in his terror it wasas though he could feel the pain in his own body, the deadlypain which nevertheless was less urgent than the struggle toget back her breath. He knew what it was like; the terrible,agonizing pain which was there all the while but could notbe suffered yet, because before all else it was necessary tobe able to breathe. Then two of the men hoisted her up byknees and shoulders, and carried her out of the room like asack. Winston had a glimpse of her face, upside down, yellowand contorted, with the eyes shut, and still with a smearof rouge on either cheek; and that was the last he saw ofher.He stood dead still. No one had hit him yet. Thoughtswhich came of their own accord but seemed totally uninterestingbegan to flit through his mind. He wondered whetherthey had got Mr Charrington. He wondered what they haddone to the woman in the yard. He noticed that he badlywanted to urinate, and felt a faint surprise, because hehad done so only two or three hours ago. He noticed thatthe clock on the mantelpiece said nine, meaning twentyone.But the light seemed too strong. Would not the light