1984
Chapter 2
HeconfessedtotheassassinationofeminentPartymembers,thedistributionofseditiouspamphlets,embezzlementofpublicfunds,saleofmilitarysecrets,sabotageofeverykind. HeconfessedthathehadbeenaspyinthepayoftheEastasiangovernmentasfarbackas1968. Heconfessedthathewasareligiousbeliever,anadmirerofcapitalism,andasexualpervert. Heconfessedthathehadmurderedhiswife,althoughheknew,andhisquestionersmusthaveknown,thathiswifewasstillalive. HeconfessedthatforyearshehadbeeninpersonaltouchwithGoldsteinandhadbeenamemberofanundergroundorganizationwhichhadincludedalmosteveryhumanbeinghehadeverknown. Itwaseasiertoconfesseverythingandimplicateeverybody. Besides,inasenseitwasalltrue. ItwastruethathehadbeentheenemyoftheParty,andintheeyesofthePartytherewasnodistinctionbetweenthethoughtandthedeed.
Therewerealsomemoriesofanotherkind. Theystoodoutinhisminddisconnectedly,likepictureswithblacknessallroundthem.
Hewasinacellwhichmighthavebeeneitherdarkorlight,becausehecouldseenothingexceptapairofeyes. Nearathandsomekindofinstrumentwastickingslowlyandregularly. Theeyesgrewlargerandmoreluminous.Suddenlyhefloatedoutofhisseat,divedintotheeyes,andwasswallowedup.
Hewasstrappedintoachairsurroundedbydials,underdazzlinglights. Amaninawhitecoatwasreadingthedials. Therewasatrampofheavybootsoutside.Thedoorclangedopen. Thewaxed-facedofficermarchedin,followedbytwoguards.
‘Room101,’saidtheofficer.
