1984

           Hesatstillagain,hishandscrossedonhisknee. Beforebeingbroughtherehehadbeentakentoanotherplacewhichmusthavebeenanordinaryprisonoratemporarylock-upusedbythepatrols. Hedidnotknowhowlonghehadbeenthere; somehoursatanyrate; withnoclocksandnodaylightitwashardtogaugethetime. Itwasanoisy,evil-smellingplace. Theyhadputhimintoacellsimilartotheonehewasnowin,butfilthilydirtyandatalltimescrowdedbytenorfifteenpeople. Themajorityofthemwerecommoncriminals,buttherewereafewpoliticalprisonersamongthem. Hehadsatsilentagainstthewall,jostledbydirtybodies,toopreoccupiedbyfearandthepaininhisbellytotakemuchinterestinhissurroundings, butstillnoticingtheastonishingdifferenceindemeanourbetweenthePartyprisonersandtheothers. ThePartyprisonerswerealwayssilentandterrified,buttheordinarycriminalsseemedtocarenothingforanybody. Theyyelledinsultsattheguards,foughtbackfiercelywhentheirbelongingswereimpounded,wroteobscenewordsonthefloor,atesmuggledfoodwhichtheyproducedfrommysterioushiding-placesintheirclothes,andevenshouteddownthetelescreenwhenittriedtorestoreorder. Ontheotherhandsomeofthemseemedtobeongoodtermswiththeguards,calledthembynicknames,andtriedtowheedlecigarettesthroughthespyholeinthedoor. Theguards,too,treatedthecommoncriminalswithacertainforbearance,evenwhentheyhadtohandlethemroughly. Therewasmuchtalkabouttheforced-labourcampstowhichmostoftheprisonersexpectedtobesent. Itwas‘allright’inthecamps,hegathered,solongasyouhadgoodcontactsandknewtheropes. Therewasbribery,favouritism,andracketeeringofeverykind,therewashomosexualityandprostitution,therewasevenillicitalcoholdistilledfrompotatoes.