1984

           NaturallyalltheglorybelongedtothevictimandalltheshametotheInquisitorwhoburnedhim. Later,inthetwentiethcentury,therewerethetotalitarians,astheywerecalled. ThereweretheGermanNazisandtheRussianCommunists. TheRussianspersecutedheresymorecruellythantheInquisitionhaddone. Andtheyimaginedthattheyhadlearnedfromthemistakesofthepast; theyknew,atanyrate,thatonemustnotmakemartyrs. Beforetheyexposedtheirvictimstopublictrial,theydeliberatelysetthemselvestodestroytheirdignity. Theyworethemdownbytortureandsolitudeuntiltheyweredespicable,cringingwretches,confessingwhateverwasputintotheirmouths,coveringthemselveswithabuse,accusingandshelteringbehindoneanother,whimperingformercy. Andyetafteronlyafewyearsthesamethinghadhappenedoveragain. Thedeadmenhadbecomemartyrsandtheirdegradationwasforgotten. Onceagain,whywasit? Inthefirstplace,becausetheconfessionsthattheyhadmadewereobviouslyextortedanduntrue. Wedonotmakemistakesofthatkind. Alltheconfessionsthatareutteredherearetrue. Wemakethemtrue. Andaboveallwedonotallowthedeadtoriseupagainstus. Youmuststopimaginingthatposteritywillvindicateyou,Winston. Posteritywillneverhearofyou. Youwillbeliftedcleanoutfromthestreamofhistory. Weshallturnyouintogasandpouryouintothestratosphere. Nothingwillremainofyou,notanameinaregister,notamemoryinalivingbrain. Youwillbeannihilatedinthepastaswellasinthefuture. Youwillneverhaveexisted.’ 

           Thenwhybothertotortureme?thoughtWinston,withamomentarybitterness. O’BriencheckedhisstepasthoughWinstonhadutteredthethoughtaloud. Hislargeuglyfacecamenearer,withtheeyesalittlenarrowed.