I was so reminded of the scene,
in the film 1984 when Richard Burton MBE, playing O'Brian questions Winston, played by John Hurt,
O'Brien held up his left hand, its back towards Winston,
with the thumb hidden and the four fingers extended.
'How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?'
'Four.'
'And if the party says that it is not four but five -- then
how many?'
'Four.'
The word ended in a gasp of pain. The needle of the dial had
shot up to fifty-five. The sweat had sprung out all over Winston's body. The
air tore into his lungs and issued again in deep groans which even by clenching
his teeth he could not stop. O'Brien watched him, the four fingers still
extended. He drew back the lever. This time the pain was only slightly eased.
'How many fingers, Winston?'
'Four.'
The needle went up to sixty.
'How many fingers, Winston?'
'Four! Four! What else can I say? Four!'
The needle must have risen again, but he did not look at it.
The heavy, stern face and the four fingers filled his vision. The fingers stood
up before his eyes like pillars, enormous, blurry, and seeming to vibrate, but
unmistakably four.
'How many fingers, Winston?'
'Four! Stop it, stop it! How can you go on? Four! Four!'
'How many fingers, Winston?'
'Five! Five! Five!'
'No, Winston, that is no use. You are lying. You still think
there are four. How many fingers, please?'
'Four! five! Four! Anything you like. Only stop it, stop the
pain!'
there was first a television version made in 1953, then a film both the one made in 1956 and the newer version released in strangely enough 1984, but for me best of all the book, frighteningly chilling, you can read/download the book here.
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