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As usual, the voice had battered Winston into helplessness.
Besides, since last
seeing himself in the glass he had beengiven a complete new set of teeth. There
was even a name for it, which hehad forgotten. He seized one of Winstons
remaining front teeth between his powerfulthumb and forefinger. And yet, in the
sense inwhich he intended the word, he had not betrayed her.
Sooner or later
they willsee you for what you are, and then they will tear you to pieces.
If I
wished, OBrien had said, I couldfloat off this floor like a soap bubble. You
knew that you knew what it was, but you dared not drag itinto the
open.
Stupidity was as necessary as intelligence, and as difficult
toattain.
How intelligent, he thought, howintelligent!
The worst thing in the
world, said OBrien, varies from individual toindividual.
It is impossible to
found a civilization on fear and hatred and cruelty.
Tell me, he said, how soon
will they shoot me? They had pulled out the remnantsof his teeth and given him
a new set of dentures. Hehad got to plunge into the filthiest of filth. Atinny
music trickled from the telescreens. There will be no loyalty, exceptloyalty
towards the Party. Progress in our world willbe progress towards more pain. I
could float off this floor like a soap bubble ifI wish to.
OBrien picked up the
cage, and, as he did so, pressed something in it.
This is what you accepted
whenyou set yourself up against the Party.
I told you thatyou knew the answer
already.
He turned away from the bed and began strolling up and down again, one
handin his pocket.
His mind, as though shying away fromsomething, seemed unable
to concentrate. He ran a handover his face, trying to familiarize himself with
the new shape. Do you suppose it isbeyond us to produce a dual system of
astronomy?
The foodwas surprisingly good, with meat at every third meal. I told
you thatyou knew the answer already.
As the ginrose in him he belched through
purple lips.
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