1984
Chapter 6
‘Underthespreadingchestnuttree
Isoldyouandyousoldme——’
Thetearswelledupinhiseyes. Apassingwaiternoticedthathisglasswasemptyandcamebackwiththeginbottle.
Hetookuphisglassandsniffedatit. Thestuffgrewnotlessbutmorehorriblewitheverymouthfulhedrank. Butithadbecometheelementheswamin.Itwashislife,hisdeath,andhisresurrection. Itwasginthatsankhimintostuporeverynight,andginthatrevivedhimeverymorning. Whenhewoke,seldombeforeelevenhundred,withgummed-upeyelidsandfierymouthandabackthatseemedtobebroken,itwouldhavebeenimpossibleeventorisefromthehorizontalifithadnotbeenforthebottleandteacupplacedbesidethebedovernight. Throughthemiddayhourshesatwithglazedface,thebottlehandy,listeningtothetelescreen. Fromfifteentoclosing-timehewasafixtureintheChestnutTree. Noonecaredwhathedidanylonger,nowhistlewokehim,notelescreenadmonishedhim. Occasionally,perhapstwiceaweek,hewenttoadusty,forgotten-lookingofficeintheMinistryofTruthanddidalittlework,orwhatwascalledwork. Hehadbeenappointedtoasub-committeeofasub-committeewhichhadsproutedfromoneoftheinnumerablecommitteesdealingwithminordifficultiesthataroseinthecompilationoftheEleventhEditionoftheNewspeakDictionary. TheywereengagedinproducingsomethingcalledanInterimReport,butwhatitwasthattheywerereportingonhehadneverdefinitelyfoundout. Itwassomethingtodowiththequestionofwhethercommasshouldbeplacedinsidebrackets,oroutside. Therewerefourothersonthecommittee,allofthempersonssimilartohimself.
