1984

           Hehadmovedalittletooneside,sothatWinstonhadabetterviewofthethingonthetable. Itwasanoblongwirecagewithahandleontopforcarryingitby. Fixedtothefrontofitwassomethingthatlookedlikeafencingmask,withtheconcavesideoutwards. Althoughitwasthreeorfourmetresawayfromhim,hecouldseethatthecagewasdividedlengthwaysintotwocompartments,andthattherewassomekindofcreatureineach. Theywererats. 

           ‘Inyourcase,’saidO’Brien,‘theworstthingintheworldhappenstoberats.’ 

           Asortofpremonitorytremor,afearofhewasnotcertainwhat,hadpassedthroughWinstonassoonashecaughthisfirstglimpseofthecage. Butatthismomentthemeaningofthemask-likeattachmentinfrontofitsuddenlysankintohim.Hisbowelsseemedtoturntowater. 

           ‘Youcan’tdothat!’hecriedoutinahighcrackedvoice. ‘Youcouldn’t,youcouldn’t!It’simpossible.’ 

           ‘Doyouremember,’saidO’Brien,‘themomentofpanicthatusedtooccurinyourdreams? Therewasawallofblacknessinfrontofyou,andaroaringsoundinyourears.Therewassomethingterribleontheothersideofthewall. Youknewthatyouknewwhatitwas,butyoudarednotdragitintotheopen. Itwastheratsthatwereontheothersideofthewall.’ 

           ‘O’Brien!’saidWinston,makinganefforttocontrolhisvoice. ‘Youknowthisisnotnecessary. Whatisitthatyouwantmetodo?’ 

           O’Brienmadenodirectanswer. Whenhespokeitwasintheschoolmasterishmannerthathesometimesaffected. Helookedthoughtfullyintothedistance,asthoughhewereaddressinganaudiencesomewherebehindWinston’sback.