1984

           Helayflatonhisbellyandtriedtolifthisweightbyhishands. Itwashopeless,hecouldnotraisehimselfacentimetre. Butafterafewmoredays—afewmoremealtimes—eventhatfeatwasaccomplished. Atimecamewhenhecoulddoitsixtimesrunning. Hebegantogrowactuallyproudofhisbody,andtocherishanintermittentbeliefthathisfacealsowasgrowingbacktonormal. Onlywhenhechancedtoputhishandonhisbaldscalpdidheremembertheseamed,ruinedfacethathadlookedbackathimoutofthemirror. 

           Hismindgrewmoreactive. Hesatdownontheplankbed,hisbackagainstthewallandtheslateonhisknees,andsettoworkdeliberatelyatthetaskofre-educatinghimself. 

           Hehadcapitulated,thatwasagreed. Inreality,ashesawnow,hehadbeenreadytocapitulatelongbeforehehadtakenthedecision. FromthemomentwhenhewasinsidetheMinistryofLove—andyes,evenduringthoseminuteswhenheandJuliahadstoodhelplesswhiletheironvoicefromthetelescreentoldthemwhattodo—hehadgraspedthefrivolity,theshallownessofhisattempttosethimselfupagainstthepoweroftheParty. HeknewnowthatforsevenyearstheThoughtPolicehadwatchedhimlikeabeetleunderamagnifyingglass. Therewasnophysicalact,nowordspokenaloud,thattheyhadnotnoticed,notrainofthoughtthattheyhadnotbeenabletoinfer. Eventhespeckofwhitishdustonthecoverofhisdiarytheyhadcarefullyreplaced. Theyhadplayedsound-trackstohim,shownhimphotographs. SomeofthemwerephotographsofJuliaandhimself. Yes,even...HecouldnotfightagainstthePartyanylonger. Besides,thePartywasintheright. Itmustbeso; howcouldtheimmortal,collectivebrainbemistaken?