Without any warning except a slight movement of O'Brien's hand, a wave
of pain flooded his body. It was a frightening pain, because he could not
see what was happening, and he had the feeling that some mortal injury was
being done to him. He did not know whether the thing was really happening,
or whether the effect was electrically produced; but his body was being
wrenched out of shape, the joints were being slowly torn apart. Although
the pain had brought the sweat out on his forehead, the worst of all was
the fear that his backbone was about to snap. He set his teeth and breathed
hard through his nose, trying to keep silent as long as possible.
'You are afraid,' said O'Brien, watching his face, 'that in another
moment something is going to break. Your especial fear is that it will be
your backbone. You have a vivid mental picture of the vertebrae snapping
apart and the spinal fluid dripping out of them. That is what you are
thinking, is it not, Winston?'
Winston did not answer. O'Brien drew back the lever on the dial. The
wave of pain receded almost as quickly as it had come.
'That was forty,' said O'Brien. 'You can see that the numbers on this
dial run up to a hundred. Will you please remember, throughout our
conversation, that I have it in my power to inflict pain on you at any
moment and to whatever degree I choose? If you tell me any lies, or attempt
to prevaricate in any way, or even fall below your usual level of
intelligence, you will cry out with pain, instantly. Do you understand
that?'
'Yes,'