1984

           Thebeatingsgrewlessfrequent,andbecamemainlyathreat,ahorrortowhichhecouldbesentbackatanymomentwhenhisanswerswereunsatisfactory. HisquestionersnowwerenotruffiansinblackuniformsbutPartyintellectuals,littlerotundmenwithquickmovementsandflashingspectacles,whoworkedonhiminrelaysoverperiodswhichlasted—hethought,hecouldnotbesure—tenortwelvehoursatastretch. Theseotherquestionerssawtoitthathewasinconstantslightpain,butitwasnotchieflypainthattheyreliedon. Theyslappedhisface,wrunghisears,pulledhishair,madehimstandononeleg,refusedhimleavetourinate,shoneglaringlightsinhisfaceuntilhiseyesranwithwater; buttheaimofthiswassimplytohumiliatehimanddestroyhispowerofarguingandreasoning. Theirrealweaponwasthemercilessquestioningthatwentonandon,hourafterhour,trippinghimup,layingtrapsforhim,twistingeverythingthathesaid,convictinghimateverystepofliesandself-contradictionuntilhebeganweepingasmuchfromshameasfromnervousfatigue. Sometimeshewouldweephalfadozentimesinasinglesession. Mostofthetimetheyscreamedabuseathimandthreatenedateveryhesitationtodeliverhimovertotheguardsagain; butsometimestheywouldsuddenlychangetheirtune,callhimcomrade,appealtohiminthenameofIngsocandBigBrother,andaskhimsorrowfullywhetherevennowhehadnotenoughloyaltytothePartylefttomakehimwishtoundotheevilhehaddone. Whenhisnerveswereinragsafterhoursofquestioning,eventhisappealcouldreducehimtosnivellingtears. Intheendthenaggingvoicesbrokehimdownmorecompletelythanthebootsandfistsoftheguards. Hebecamesimplyamouththatuttered,ahandthatsigned,whateverwasdemandedofhim. Hissoleconcernwastofindoutwhattheywantedhimtoconfess,andthenconfessitquickly,beforethebullyingstartedanew.