1984
Chapter 4
Thegreatpurgesinvolvingthousandsofpeople,withpublictrialsoftraitorsandthought-criminals whomadeabjectconfessionoftheircrimesandwereafterwardsexecuted,werespecialshow-piecesnotoccurringoftenerthanonceinacoupleofyears. Morecommonly,peoplewhohadincurredthedispleasureofthePartysimplydisappearedandwereneverheardofagain. Oneneverhadthesmallestclueastowhathadhappenedtothem. Insomecasestheymightnotevenbedead. PerhapsthirtypeoplepersonallyknowntoWinston,notcountinghisparents,haddisappearedatonetimeoranother.
Winstonstrokedhisnosegentlywithapaper-clip. InthecubicleacrossthewayComradeTillotsonwasstillcrouchingsecretivelyoverhisspeakwrite. Heraisedhisheadforamoment: againthehostilespectacle-flash. WinstonwonderedwhetherComradeTillotsonwasengagedonthesamejobashimself. Itwasperfectlypossible. Sotrickyapieceofworkwouldneverbeentrustedtoasingleperson: ontheotherhand,toturnitovertoacommitteewouldbetoadmitopenlythatanactoffabricationwastakingplace. VerylikelyasmanyasadozenpeoplewerenowworkingawayonrivalversionsofwhatBigBrotherhadactuallysaid. AndpresentlysomemasterbrainintheInnerPartywouldselectthisversionorthat, wouldre-edititandsetinmotionthecomplexprocessesofcross-referencingthatwouldberequired, andthenthechosenliewouldpassintothepermanentrecordsandbecometruth.
WinstondidnotknowwhyWithershadbeendisgraced. Perhapsitwasforcorruptionorincompetence. PerhapsBigBrotherwasmerelygettingridofatoo-popularsubordinate. PerhapsWithersorsomeoneclosetohimhadbeensuspectedofhereticaltendencies.
