1984

           Hehadgonestraightonworking. Assoonashesawwhatthephotographwas,andwhatitmeant,hehadcovereditupwithanothersheetofpaper. Luckily,whenheunrolledit,ithadbeenupside-downfromthepointofviewofthetelescreen. 

           Hetookhisscribblingpadonhiskneeandpushedbackhischairsoastogetasfarawayfromthetelescreenaspossible. Tokeepyourfaceexpressionlesswasnotdifficult,andevenyourbreathingcouldbecontrolled,withaneffort: butyoucouldnotcontrolthebeatingofyourheart,andthetelescreenwasquitedelicateenoughtopickitup. Heletwhathejudgedtobetenminutesgoby,tormentedallthewhilebythefearthatsomeaccident—asuddendraughtblowingacrosshisdesk,forinstance—wouldbetrayhim. Then,withoutuncoveringitagain,hedroppedthephotographintothememoryhole,alongwithsomeotherwastepapers. Withinanotherminute,perhaps,itwouldhavecrumbledintoashes. 

           Thatwasten—elevenyearsago. Today,probably,hewouldhavekeptthatphotograph. Itwascuriousthatthefactofhavinghelditinhisfingersseemedtohimtomakeadifferenceevennow,whenthephotographitself,aswellastheeventitrecorded,wasonlymemory. WastheParty’sholduponthepastlessstrong,hewondered,becauseapieceofevidencewhichexistednolongerHADONCEexisted? 

           Buttoday,supposingthatitcouldbesomehowresurrectedfromitsashes,thephotographmightnotevenbeevidence. Already,atthetimewhenhemadehisdiscovery,OceaniawasnolongeratwarwithEurasia,anditmusthavebeentotheagentsofEastasiathatthethreedeadmenhadbetrayedtheircountry. Sincethentherehadbeenotherchanges—two,three,hecouldnotrememberhowmany.