yielding as water.
Their mouths clung together; it was quite different from the hard kisses
they had exchanged earlier. When they moved their faces apart again both of
them sighed deeply. The bird took fright and fled with a clatter of wings.
Winston put his lips against her ear. 'Now,' he whispered.
'Not here,' she whispered back. 'Come back to the hideout. It's
safer.'
Quickly, with an occasional crackle of twigs, they threaded their way
back to the clearing. When they were once inside the ring of saplings she
turned and faced him. They were both breathing fast. but the smile had
reappeared round the corners of her mouth. She stood looking at him for an
instant, then felt at the zipper of her overalls. And, yes! it was almost
as in his dream. Almost as swiftly as he had imagined it, she had torn her
clothes off, and when she flung them aside it was with that same
magnificent gesture by which a whole civilization seemed to be annihilated.
Her body gleamed white in the sun. But for a moment he did not look at her
body; his eyes were anchored by the freckled face with its faint, bold
smile. He knelt down before her and took her hands in his.
'Have you done this before?'
'Of course. Hundreds of times -- well, scores of times anyway.'
'With Party members?'
'Yes, always with Party members.'
'With members of the Inner Party?'
'Not with those swine, no. But there's plenty that would if