1984
Chapter 8
‘Youarepreparedtocheat,toforge,toblackmail,tocorruptthemindsofchildren,todistributehabit-formingdrugs,toencourageprostitution,todisseminatevenerealdiseases—todoanythingwhichislikelytocausedemoralizationandweakenthepoweroftheParty?’
‘Yes.’
‘If,forexample,itwouldsomehowserveourintereststothrowsulphuricacidinachild’sface—areyoupreparedtodothat?’
‘Yes.’
‘Youarepreparedtoloseyouridentityandliveouttherestofyourlifeasawaiteroradock-worker?’
‘Yes.’
‘Youarepreparedtocommitsuicide,ifandwhenweorderyoutodoso?’
‘Yes.’
‘Youareprepared,thetwoofyou,toseparateandneverseeoneanotheragain?’
‘No!’brokeinJulia.
ItappearedtoWinstonthatalongtimepassedbeforeheanswered. Foramomentheseemedeventohavebeendeprivedofthepowerofspeech. Histongueworkedsoundlessly,formingtheopeningsyllablesfirstofoneword,thenoftheother,overandoveragain. Untilhehadsaidit,hedidnotknowwhichwordhewasgoingtosay. ‘No,’hesaidfinally.
