Robert Silverberg

“ Finally the Inquisitor opened its tightly-clamped arms and let Leslie stagger out. He slumped to the ground at the feet of the robot and leaned dazedly against the Inquisitor's gleaming base.
"Prisoner is on the verge of death," the Inquisitor said. "Further questioning is pointless."
Kroll looked down in surprise and chagrin. In ten years, this was the first time a prisoner had not broken under Interrogation. He scowled angrily; it was his first failure.
"You're a stubborn man, Leslie. But it's killed you."
"I'm not dead yet," the prisoner said brokenly. ”

“ It couldn't be true. It wasn't true. "Stupid!" he told himself. It was stupid to distrust the State—and wrong. "Wrong! Criminally, disgustingly wrong!"
There! He felt better. He had rid himself of his foolish doubts. ”

“ The third prisoner, a resigned-looking, balding man of fifty or so, did not change his expression.
"Take me first," the man said. "Leave her alone."
Again Kroll shrugged. "The Inquisitor would like Miss Horniman first, Mr. Leslie. This is the preferred order, and this is the order that will be."
A guard stepped forward and shoved the sobbing girl up and ahead, toward the door. The man named Leslie clashed his manacles impotently together and spat. "Butchers! Torturers!"
"Please, Mr. Leslie," Kroll said gently, a pained expression on his face. "You make our job even harder than it is." ”