1984
Chapter 5
Youcouldonlygetholdofthem,ifatall,byscroungingmoreorlessfurtivelyonthe‘free’market.
‘I’vebeenusingthesamebladeforsixweeks,’headdeduntruthfully.
Thequeuegaveanotherjerkforward. AstheyhaltedheturnedandfacedSymeagain. Eachofthemtookagreasymetaltrayfromapileattheendofthecounter.
‘Didyougoandseetheprisonershangedyesterday? ’saidSyme.
‘Iwasworking,’saidWinstonindifferently. ‘Ishallseeitontheflicks,Isuppose.’
‘Averyinadequatesubstitute,’saidSyme.
HismockingeyesrovedoverWinston’sface. ‘Iknowyou,’theeyesseemedtosay,‘Iseethroughyou. Iknowverywellwhyyoudidn’tgotoseethoseprisonershanged. ’Inanintellectualway,Symewasvenomouslyorthodox. Hewouldtalkwithadisagreeablegloatingsatisfactionofhelicopterraidsonenemyvillages,andtrialsandconfessionsofthought-criminals,theexecutionsinthecellarsoftheMinistryofLove. Talkingtohimwaslargelyamatterofgettinghimawayfromsuchsubjectsandentanglinghim,ifpossible,inthetechnicalitiesofNewspeak,onwhichhewasauthoritativeandinteresting. Winstonturnedhisheadalittleasidetoavoidthescrutinyofthelargedarkeyes.
‘Itwasagoodhanging,’saidSymereminiscently. ‘Ithinkitspoilsitwhentheytietheirfeettogether. Iliketoseethemkicking. Andaboveall,attheend,thetonguestickingrightout,andblue—aquitebrightblue.
