Thread by @exitthelemming

O'Brien held up his left hand, its back towards Winston.

'What colour passport am I holding up, Winston?'

'Black.'

'And if the party says that it is not black but blue - then what colour?'

'Black.'

The word ended in a gasp of pain.

‘What colour passport, Winston?'

'Black.'

The needle went up to sixty.

'What colour passport, Winston?'

'Black! Black! What else can I say? Black!’

‘What colour passport, Winston?'

'Blue! Blue! Blue!'

'No, Winston, that is no use. You are lying. You still think it is black. What colour passport, please?'

'Black! Blue! Black! Anything you like. Only stop it, stop the pain!'

O'Brien held up something in his left hand.

'There is a blue passport here. Do you see a blue passport?'

'Yes.'

And he did see it, for a fleeting instant.

'You see now,' said O'Brien, 'that it is at any rate possible.'

'Yes,' said Winston.