Preklad Rakoviny
Nicholas Bethell z knihy špióni a iné tajnosti Preklad Rakoviny
Preklad Koncom šesťdesiatych rokov sa začali šíriť zbierku. Solženicyn bol jedným z nich. Dosť klebety, že Solženicyn dokončil dva obsiahle nás prekvapilo, keď ako úryvok poslal kapitolu romány o živote v pracovných táboroch, Rako- z románu Rakovina, ktorý práve dokončoval. Rakoviny vinu a V kruhu prvom. Hovorilo sa o nich ako Hneď nám bolo jasné, o aké významné dielo o veľkých dielach v literárnom aj politickom ide, no len ťažko by sa hodilo do ženského časo- zmysle. Jeho Jeden deň Ivana Denisoviča vy- pisu. S Pavlom sme sa porozprávali a rozhodli volal v Rusku aj mimo neho obrovský rozruch. odovzdať ho literárnej prílohe bratislavských Tieto dva nové romány mali byť rovnako vý- novín Pravda, kde vyšiel v mojom preklade 7. bušné a ešte zásadnejšie diela. Pomáhal som januára 1967.“ propagovať Ivana Denisoviča a nadšene som Ličko mal kontakty na sovietskych dôstoj- sa chcel zapojiť aj do tohto diela. níkov cez hnutie veteránov 2. svetovej vojny. Dovtedy o ňom na Západe ešte veľa ľudí Počas návštevy Ruska v marci 1967 z tejto po- nepočulo. Vysloviť jeho meno bolo pre cudzin- zície poslal Solženicynovi telegram, v ktorom cov mimoriadne náročné. Žil v Riazani, 200 sa pýtal, či ho môže navštíviť. Spisovateľ od- km juhovýchodne od Moskvy. Komunikovať povedal: „Rád Vás privítam budúci pondelok, s akýmkoľvek sovietskym občanom bolo vtedy utorok, stredu či štvrtok...“ Nadšenie v Solže- nebezpečné a zložité. V prípade Solženicyna nicynovej odpovedi pramenilo z jeho vzru- situáciu sťažovalo ešte aj to, že nemal telefón, šenia zo správ, že časť jeho knihy sa objavila kontrolovali mu poštu a býval za 50-kilomet- v zahraničí, hoci len v neznámej bratislavskej rovým okruhom Moskvy. Nebolo isté, či ho niekto zo Západu vôbec niekedy stretol a zdalo sa, že nikto ani nepredpokladal, že je možné vôbec o tom uvažovať. No tušil som, že je to Spisovateľ odpovedal: „Rád velikán, že je len otázkou času, kedy sa vyno- Vás privítam budúci pondelok, rí z neznáma a vyčnie nad svojimi kolegami literárne aj politicky. utorok, stredu či štvrtok...“ V polovici roku 1967 ma prekvapilo, keď som zistil, že istý cudzinec Solženicyna v Ria- zani navštívil a bližšie spoznal. Bol to Pavel Ličko, slovenský novinár z Bratislavy. Ličko Pravde. Na základe úryvku v Pravde teda Pavel bojoval proti nacistom v Slovenskom národ- cestoval do Riazane, kde ho vrelo prijali. Rých- nom povstaní v roku 1944. Po vojne pracoval lo si získal Solženicynovu dôveru a dostalo sa na tlačovom oddelení komunistickej stra- mu veľkej cti spraviť prvý významný rozhovor, ny, ale počas stalinských čistiek v roku 1951 ktorý kedy Solženicyn poskytol zahraničnému z tohto miesta odišiel a nastúpil do časopisu novinárovi. Ten vyšiel 31. marca v Kultúrnom Kultúrny život. Jeho manželka Marta, známa živote pod názvom Jedného dňa u Alexandra prekladateľka z ruštiny, pracovala v ženskom Isajeviča Solženicyna. týždenníku Slovenka. Medzitým, podľa Lička okolo 20. marca, sa Práve Marta nadviazala prvý kontakt. títo dvaja muži stretli v Moskve v kaviarni Lýra „Koncom roka 1966 sme z časopisu napísali kúsok od Gorkého ulice, aby predebatovali rôznym ruským spisovateľom a prosili ich ešte dôležitejšiu vec. Ličko (podľa prísažné- o krátke úryvky z tvorby, chceli sme vydať ho vyhlásenia, ktoré neskôr podal v Londýne
49 Nicholas Bethell
1. augusta 1968) vraví: „Solženicyn mi osobne úspech... Niektoré životopisné údaje sú však odovzdal text prvej časti Rakoviny a kópiu nesprávne. Už sa s tým nedá nič robiť... Nech hry Jeleň a posteľníčka. Na tomto stretnutí Vám však tento zoznam nijako nepokazí ra- sme sa bavili o možnosti vydať v zahraničí dosť: v podstate všetko výborne dopadlo. Vám Solženicynovo literárne dielo ako celok. Sol- a Marte želám zo srdca veľa úspechovv práci, ženicyna som sa priamo opýtal, či má niečo do ktorej ste sa pustili.“ Táto posledná veta sa proti tomu. Odvetil, že chce, aby jeho dielo týkala prekladu zvyšku Rakoviny, ktorý vtedy vyšlo v prvom rade v Anglicku a Japonsku, pripravovala Pavlova švagriná Magda Takáčová. pretože Angličania a Japonci majú podľa neho Vrúcne slová v týchto listoch od Solženi- najhlbšie zakorenenú kultúru na svete. Na cyna aj skutočnosť, že časť Rakoviny už vyšla záver nášho rozhovoru som sa Solženicyna so súhlasom autora prostredníctvom Ličkovej opýtal, či mám byť jeho literárnym agentom manželky, ukázali, že Ličko mal Solženicynovu na Západe. Odpovedal, že mám a že chce, aby dôveru, a preto mohol očakávať aj tú moju. Ako som zariadil vydanie Rakoviny aj spomínanej Ličko tvrdil, autor mu nepochybne Rakovinu hry tak rýchlo, ako sa len dá...“ dal a súhlasil s jej vydaním v Československu. Po zvyšok svojho pobytu v Moskve no- sil Ličko neoceniteľné rukopisy pod košeľou a vzal ich späť do Bratislavy. Martina sestra potom začala prekladať Rakovinu, aby mohla Nech Vám však tento zoznam neskôr vyjsť knižne. nijako nepokazí radosť: Solženicyn si prečítal úryvok z Rakoviny v podstate všetko výborne v bratislavskej Pravde, ktorú mu Ličko dal v polovici marca 1967, a poslal mu niekoľko dopadlo. priateľských listov. Prvého apríla napísal: „Som Vám veľmi vďačný za precíznosť a pres- nosť... Vaša Pravda je pre našinca neobvykle Ličkovu reportáž prebral ruský emigrantský zostavená, ale veľmi zaujímavá, aj rubrika časopis Grani a mňa na ňu upozornil ruský s mojou kapitolou... Len by som bol rád, keby priateľ a spisovateľ Alexander Dolberg, ktorý ste neprekladali Rakovij korpus ako „onko- utiekol zo Sovietskeho zväzu v roku 1956 a žil logické oddelenie“. Je to príliš odborné a le- v Londýne. To ma povzbudilo zájsť z Varšavy, kárske. Určite jestvuje aj slovenské slovo pre kde som práve pracoval na životopise vtedaj- „rakovinu“... Želám Vám aj Vašej manželke šieho lídra Władysława Gomułku, do Bratisla- veľa úspechov pri práci...“ Ďalej spomenul, že vy a zoznámiť sa s Ličkom. Počas niekoľkých mu redaktori v Pravde niektoré časti kapitoly stretnutí v októbri 1967 som mu predstavil vyčiarkli a znova napísal 21. apríla: „Dostal svoju odbornú zainteresovanosť vo veci, uká- som výtlačky Kultúrneho života, ktoré ste zal som mu svoje recenzie Solženicynových mi poslali. Veľmi pekne ďakujem... Teší ma, diel v TLS, svoju rozhlasovú verziu Ivana De- že náš rozhovor vyšiel, aj keď sa doň vkradlo nisoviča a svoj preklad Brodského básní. On pár nepresností... Z celého srdca Vám prajem mi ukázal rukopisy a listy z Riazane a dal mi úspech pri práci! S radosťou spomínam na úryvok Rakoviny, ktorý vyšiel v Pravde. Tak naše stretnutie...“ Tretí list z 21. mája začí- sme získali vzájomnú dôveru. Uvedomoval na: „Teším sa, že Vaše interview malo ďalší som si riziko, ktoré Solženicynovi hrozilo, ak
50 Preklad Rakoviny
by jeho dielo vyšlo unáhlene. Na druhej strane Literary Supplement som zariadil, aby vyšiel by mu podpora reputácie na Západe mohla 11. apríla 1968. Bola to verzia z druhej ruky. pomôcť. Čo je však najdôležitejšie, presved- Marta ho preložila z ruštiny do slovenčiny a zo čili ma dôkazy, že Ličko sa tešil spisovateľovej slovenčiny do angličtiny potom Cecil Parrott, dôvere a mal oprávnenie konať v jeho mene ktorý bol začiatkom šesťdesiatych rokov brit- v Československu aj inde. ským veľvyslancom v Prahe. Krátko po mojom návrate do Londýna Bolo to vôbec prvé západné vydanie časti v decembri 1967 zomrel môj bratranec Guy tohto románu, a hoci to bol preklad z prekladu, a zrazu som získal právo zasadnúť do britské- upozornilo západných kritikov na existenciu ho parlamentu ako dedičný člen Snemovne čohosi významného. Uverejnenie v Pravde zo- lordov. V Británii za Harolda Wilsonasa však- stalo nepovšimnuté, bol to priveľmi neznámy nebolo čím chváliť. Neohromilo to takmer časopis. Ale TLS sa čítal po celom svete. Sol- nikoho. Najmä u mnohých ľudí v médiách ženicyn sa o tom dozvedel 13. apríla z ruského a vydavateľskom svete vzbudzoval rozpaky vysielania BBC. „Šok! A hrozná radosť! Už je to či nedôveručlovek, ktorý prišiel k výhodám tu!“ píše v roku 1980 vo svojom autobiografic- vďaka prežitku tak hrubo nezaslúženého pri- kom diele Trkalo sa teľa s dubom. Pokračuje, že vilégia. Vďaka tomu začali byť podozrievaví Rakovinu na Západ neposielal, „ale ak si našla ba až nepriateľskí. Navyše, Wilsonova vláda vlastnú cestu, potom to takto malo byť, nastala už mala pripravený návrh zákona na reformu hodina určená Bohom“. Takto vítal skutočnosť, Snemovne lordov a postupné zrušenie jej prv- ku dedičnosti. Spomínam, ako som si vtedy myslel, že toto by len ťažko malo dosah na moje želanie jedného dňa preložiť Rakovinu, alebo vôbec na moju kariéru. „Šok! A hrozná radosť! Politika si pre nás pripravila ešte význam- Už je to tu!“ nejšie rozptýlenie. Koncom roka 1967 v Čes- koslovensku zosadili neostalinistickú vládu Antonína Novotného a nový líder komunistov Alexander Dubček sa dostal k moci s odhodla- ním budovať „socializmus s ľudskou tvárou“. že – ako istotne vedel – Ličko odovzdal kapitolu Takéto ambície som, samozrejme, podporoval. z jeho knihy britskému sprostredkovateľovi. Javilo sa to ako dosiahnuteľný cieľ, zatiaľ čo Solženicyn uvažoval, ako budú úrady vnímať veľmi nebezpečne vyzeral nápad, aby Česko- takúto opovážlivosť len krátko po procese so slovensko vystúpilo z Varšavskej zmluvy a so- Siňavským a Danielom spred dvoch rokov. Uis- cialistického tábora, ako sa o to pred 12 rokmi ťoval sa, „tušil som, že sa poberám cestou, na pokúsili Maďari. Komunikácia s Ličkom sa tiež ktorej ma nikto nezdolá. Uvidíš, nič sa nesta- zjednodušila. Telefonické spojenie fungovalo ne... Už nemusím mať nerváky, že vychádza, lepšie. Víza sa získavali ľahšie. Do pošty zasa- ale ako ju tam (na Západe) prijmú. Toto bolo hovali menej. pre mňa ako spisovateľa prvou skutočnou Do Londýna som si zobral úryvok Rakovi- skúškou... Chcel som mať pokoj, ale musíme ny, ktorý preložila Marta Ličková pre Pravdu, konať! Nečakať, kým sa pozbierajú do útoku, a u svojho bývalého zamestnávateľa Times ale zaútočiť na nich hneď teraz!“
51 Nicholas Bethell
Solženicyn vysvetľuje, že v rokoch Kniha mala vyjsť či už so sovietskym súhlasom 1967–68 stále dúfal, že Rakovina by mohla alebo bez neho, a aj z toho možno vyťažiť čo vyjsť v Sovietskom zväze. V jednej fáze už bola najviac. To bol jeho plán. A tiež sa na základe pripravená do tlače na pokračovanie v Novom Rakoviny tešil na svoju „prvú skutočnú spi- Mire. Takže ju nepovažovali za antisovietsku sovateľskú skúšku“. Správne sa domnieval, že propagandu. Bolo na hrane, či by ju cenzori skúšku zloží, že knihu uznajú za majstrovské nechali prejsť alebo nie. Mala ďaleko od toho, dielo, a že si tým posilní postavenie v Moskve. aby ho mohli za ňu žalovať, bola takmer zve- Londýnske vydavateľstvo Bodley Head sa rejniteľná. V Sovietskom zväze nebol nikdy už chystalo vyzvať mňa a Dolberga, aby sme ani náznak toho, že by ho na základe Rakoviny preložili tento román aj hru Jeleň a posteľníč- mohli stíhať. ka do angličtiny. Mali sme to však spraviť špe- Takže sa natíska otázka, prečo dal Lič- kulatívnym spôsobom bez stanovenej odmeny kovi rukopis a požiadal ho, aby ho vydal a len cez honoráre z tantiém, ktoré sa mohli aj v Československu? A prečo mu písal listy nemuseli zrealizovať. Manažér vydavateľstva o tom, ako by mal Rakovinu prekladať do Max Reinhardt nám vysvetlil, že si nemohol slovenčiny? V knihe Trkalo sa teľa s dubom byť istý, či kniha v našom preklade vôbec vyj- na tieto otázky nedáva odpoveď. Vlastne v pa- de, nie to ešte či sa stane bestsellerom. Mohli sme prehrať preteky, vtedy by bola naša práca zbytočná a nič by nám nezaplatil. Bodley Head pripravil zmluvy, ktoré som Takže sa natíska otázka, zobral do Bratislavy. 22. marca 1968 v reštau- prečo dal Ličkovi rukopis rácii na Zochovej chate vzdialenej 30 km od mesta ich Ličko podpísal v prítomnosti mojich a požiadal ho, aby ho vydal priateľov Alana Williamsa a Henrietty Baker, v Československu? ako aj mojej a vyhlásil, že koná so súhlasom autora a podľa jeho pokynov. Ličko neskôr podpísal ďalší dokument, ktorým vydavateľ- stvu povolil obchodovať aj s právami na dielo sáži, ktorá sa inak touto epizódou pomerne mimo Anglicka. podrobne zaoberá, ani nespomenul Ličkovo Pražská jar roku 1968 vtedy naplno pre- či moje meno. kvitala. Vlna slobody sa valila naprieč Česko- Ako vtedy, tak aj dnes sa domnievam, slovenskom a cenzúra či obmedzenia pohybu že prípravy, ktoré s Ličkom otvorene robil, pri vstupe a výstupe z krajiny boli slabé. boli súčasťou jeho taktiky, jeho plánu vyvi- Boli sme presvedčení, že naša zmluva je núť nátlak na sovietskych lídrov. Vydanie platná, že takto to nariadil autor, ale zakladala Rakoviny, ktoré sa objavilo v komunistickej sa na Solženicynových ústnych pokynoch Lič- krajine, hoci aj v Dubčekovom liberálnom kovi, ktoré mu odovzdal v moskovskej kaviarni Československu, nebolo takým provokatív- a pokiaľ by to bolo možné, túžili sme zosilniť nym činom ako uverejnenie na Západe. Na toto slabé prepojenie v reťazci právomocí. druhej strane, po slovenskej edícii muselo Inak by nás v nemiestnej súťaži o prvenstvo nasledovať vydanie v západných krajinách, v kníhkupectvách mohol poraziť iný vyda- či už schválené alebo nie. vateľ. Zároveň sme vedeli, že Solženicyn hrá
52 Preklad Rakoviny
so sovietskymi úradmi zložitú taktickú hru ka podal 1. augusta prísažné vyhlásenie o tom, a nemuselo by mu vyhovovať, keby udelil že koná v mene Solženicyna. Dokument potom oprávnenie otvorene. Mohol skrývať svoje slúžil na ochranu autorských práv na Rakovi- skutočné prianie, ako to urobil Boris Paster- nu, na udržanie antisovietskych nátlakových nak s Doktorom Živagom, ktorý prvý raz vyšiel skupín mimo hry, na zaistenie, aby sa v zmätku u talianskeho vydavateľa Feltrinelliho v 1956. neobjavilo množstvo vydaní rôznej kvality, ako V apríli 1968 odišiel Ličko do Moskvy vyjasniť sa to stalo pri predošlých dielach, aj na to, aby túto záležitosť a získať od autora potvrdenie sa v autorovom mene mohli hromadiť autorské zmluvy z 22. marca. Nestretli sa, no vymieňali honoráre. Rakovina regulérne vyšla v Dolber- si správy cez svojho spoločného priateľa spiso- govom a mojom preklade koncom roka 1968 vateľa Borisa Možajeva a Solženicyn Ličkovi a znova v roku 1969, najskôr prvá časť, potom poďakoval, že zariadil vydanie úryvku v Times druhá časť, potom celá kniha a tiež hra Jeleň Literary Supplement. Ličko napísal list a poslal a posteľníčka. Ďalšie verzie s licenciou Bod- ho z Viedne 12. mája: „Snažil som sa nadviazať ley Head vyšli v iných západných krajinách, kontakt s Alexandrom (Solženicynom)... Pres- čo prospelo Solženicynovmu menu po celom ne som ho informoval o situácii. Nadovšetko svete, ako aj stavu na jeho účte. som ho žiadal o písomné oprávnenie, ktoré 21. augusta 1968 sovietska armáda vtrhla potrebuje Max Reinhardt z Bodley Head... do Československa. No niektoré plody Pražskej Alexander nechce otvorene odhaliť svoje pre- jari ešte pár mesiacov vydržali. Dubček sa teo- pojenie so mnou a s vydavateľstvom, ale plne reticky mohol vrátiť na svoje miesto vedúceho schvaľuje všetko, čo som spravil. Teší sa, že sa predstaviteľa krajiny. Tlač bola naďalej otvo- v Anglicku chystá vydanie jeho knihy...“ renejšia než v akejkoľvek inej komunistickej Na základe toho sme sa s Dolbergom krajine. Pre Západniarov sa vydávali víza na odhodlali pokračovať v práci a Bodley Head hraničných priechodoch. Česi a Slováci mohli začal s istým úspechom predávať práva do cestovať dnu a von na svoje pasy bez zvlášt- zahraničia, hoci v každom prípade tu bol ne- nych problémov. Za týchto okolností som bol ustály strach zo zapojenia iných vydavateľov. s Ličkom v telefonickom i osobnom styku a on Pre vydavateľa či prekladateľa, ktorý v súťaži mi pomáhal udržiavať paľbu žurnalistických skončí ako druhý, by veľa ocenení neostalo. útokov na sovietsku okupáciu jeho krajiny. Solženicyn píše (s. 209), že pod tlakom zo Napríklad v marci 1969 ma zobral navštíviť strany sovietskych úradov a hlavne od svojich Dubčekovho otca Štefana do biskupickej ne- „starých priateľov“ ako Alexander Tvardovskij mocnice 10 kilometrov od Bratislavy. Štefan v Novom Mire mu vyhovovalo verejne odsúdiť Dubček mi hovoril, ako najprv emigroval do všetky uverejnenia svojho diela v zahraničí. Do Spojených štátov a vyrábal skrine v Chicagu. talianskych novín Unita napísal (4. júna), že Hovoril pomalou, ale jasnou angličtinou, ja- nijaký zahraničný vydavateľ od neho nedostal zykom, ktorý dlhé desaťročia nepoužil: „Viete, žiaden rukopis či splnomocnenie. Určite však bol som dobrý robotník. Dobre zarábam, 40 dal rukopis a pokyny Marte a Pavlovi Ličkov- dolárov za týždeň. Ale vstúpim do americkej com, prinajmenšom pokiaľ išlo o uverejnenie komunistickej strany. A potom sa rozhodnem v Československu. odísť do Sovietskeho zväzu. Chcel som tam ísť. Ličko prišiel do Londýna v júli 1968 a pod Taký som mal plán.“ Zobral celú svoju rodinu dohľadom nášho advokáta Petera Carter-Ruc- vrátane mladého Alexandra do Kirgizska na ďa-
53 Nicholas Bethell
lekom východe Sovietskeho zväzu, kde tvrdo robil rozhovor žiaden Západniar a že býval pracovali a slabo si ich cenili. „Za prácu som mimo Moskvy v Žukovke, v prístavbe k dači, nedostal ani halier.“ Dokonca ani sovietska ktorá patrila významnému violončelistovi invázia do jeho krajiny vlani v auguste mu Mstislavovi Rostropovičovi, 100 metrov od nenaštrbila presvedčenie. „Keby dnes Lenin dače akademika A. D. Sacharova. Po vylúčení žil, súhlasil by s tým, čo robil môj syn.“ To bola zo zväzu boli jeho politické názory ošemet- tá najvyššia pocta, ktorú mohol vyniesť (The né. Sedem rokov bol sovietskym liberálom, Guardian, 31. marec 1969). Na konci nášho členom organizácie spisovateľov. Teraz bol stretnutia, keď sme odchádzali, zakričal po na ceste stať sa antisovietskym disidentom. anglicky do môjho magnetofónu: „Všetkým Možajev mi povedal, že nechcel toto všetko národom želám veľa šťastia!“ komplikovať ešte aj stretnutím s cudzincom. Ličko bol jasným plodom týchto „libe- Čokoľvek sa o ňom povedalo v zahraničných rálnych“ komunistických tendencií v Česko- publikáciách, pravdepodobne použili proti slovensku a v tomto štádiu sme nemali dôvod nemu. Možajev mi však odovzdal Solženicynov myslieť si, že by Solženicyn nebol spokojný srdečný pozdrav a nezaznela jediná výčitka za s tým, čo sme pripravili. Rakovina sa stále pre- niečo, čo sme spravili s jeho dielom. dávala. V Amerike pripravovali hru Jeleň a pos- V júni 1970 vyhral voľby v Británii teľníčka. Bodley Head hromadili honoráre. 4. Edward Heath a napriek mojím skromným novembra 1969 vylúčili Solženicyna zo zväzu politickým skúsenostiam mi ponúkol pracovať spisovateľov po nepríjemnej hádke v riazan- ako whip v Snemovni lordov, teda najmladší skej pobočke. Zdalo sa jasné, že útoky v tlači spomedzi služobne mladších ministrov. Bolo budú pokračovať, hoci bol čoraz vzdorovitejší to takmer znepokojujúce. V roku 1967 som a úrady očividne nevedeli, čo majú ďalej robiť. bol asistentom scenáristu v BBC. Teraz som V januári 1970 som navštívil Moskvu bol najmladším členom vlády. Či by som bol a zostal tri týždne v hoteli Metropol. Zo všet- alebo nebol býval namyslený, musela ma za- kého najviac som si želal stretnúť človeka, siahnuť odplata. ktorého odvahu a génia som tak obdivoval Na začiatku som hovoril o svojej angažo- a ktorého dielo som pomohol priniesť západ- vanosti do sovietskej politiky a náklonnosti nému publiku. Skontaktoval som sa s jeho k ruskej literatúre s vedúcim predstaviteľom priateľmi vrátane Borisa Možajeva. Povedal Snemovne lordov Earlom Jellicoeom, ktorý mi, ako ho sklamalo, že v roku 1969 dostal ma navrhol na túto skromnú pozíciu. Chcel Nobelovu cenu za literatúru namiesto jeho som vedieť, či by to nebolo na príťaž. Mal kolegu Samuel Beckett. Vravel mi, že pár dní som niečo vysvetliť predtým, než nastúpim po tom, ako bola v októbri 1969 cena udelená, do funkcie vo vláde? Nikoho to neznepokojo- sa v Riazani začalo proti Solženicynovi ťaže- valo. Tak ako so všetkými novými ministrami, nie. Stretol som tiež neostalinského redaktora mal so mnou pohovor dôstojník MI5, ktorý týždenníka Literaturnaja gazeta Alexandra mi porozprával, aké dôležité je neodovzdávať Čakovského, ktorý mi povedal, že ťah s ria- prísne tajné dokumenty na toalete či nene- zanským vylúčením „iba vyjadruje názor chávať ich v odstavenom aute alebo v reštau- spoločnosti“ (NYT Magazine, 12. apríl 1970). rácii. Úplne otvorene som odpovedal na jeho Jeho samotného sa mi stretnúť nepo- rutinné otázky, ale žiadna sa netýkala mojich darilo. Dozvedel som sa, že nikdy s ním ne- výstredných literárnych záujmov. Zjavne to
54 Preklad Rakoviny
nikto nepokladal za nič závažné alebo za prob- tli v londýnskej kancelárii Bodley Head, aby lém s prijatím môjho miesta. sme prerokovali nové podmienky. O pár dní Práve Možajev mi povedal o švajčiarskom ich schválili a podpísali všetky strany a vtedy právnikovi Dr. Fritzovi Heebovi, ktorý mal za- Bodley Head vyplatilo Heebovi okolo 30 000 stupovať Solženicyna na Západe. Heeb nadvia- libier nahromadených honorárov. zal styk s Bodley Head pár týždňov po mojom Mal dostať ešte omnoho viac. 8. októbra, návrate domov začiatkom roka 1970 a po tom, dva dni po našom stretnutí s Heebom, udelili ako sa preukázal písomným splnomocnením, Solženicynovi Nobelovu cenu za literatúru. dostal kópie všetkých zmlúv a účtov spolu Tržby za Rakovinu vystrelili, a kým sme stihli s prísľubom významnejších šekov. Po všetkých s Dolbergom ešte v ten týždeň dôjsť do Minne- stránkach sme s Heebom spolupracovali. apolisu, aj druhoradá hra Jeleň a posteľníčka V júni 1970 som zavítal do jeho kancelárie sa stala v divadle Tyrone a Guthrieho veľkým v Zürichu, a práve to vrhlo prvé pochybnosti hitom. Do pokladnice Bodley Head a na ban- na Ličkove dobré úmysly. Heeb mi ukázal ru- kové účty vyčlenené v prospech autora tiekli kopis listu od Solženicyna svedčiaci o tom, že značné sumy z tucta krajín. Taký ohromný Ličko „hanebne zneužil moju dôveru“. To bol úspech sme, samozrejme, vôbec nepredvídali, šok. Ťažko som tomu mohol uveriť. Nevidela keď sme sa pred troma rokmi pustili do pre- sa mi myšlienka, že by Ličko niekoho podvie- kladu málo známeho románu sovietskeho spi- dol. Mal som listy ako dôkaz Solženicynovej sovateľa s nevysloviteľným menom a riskovali ročnú prácu za neistú odmenu. Keby sme v roku 1968 neboli vyriešili au- torské práva, vzniklo by množstvo pirátskych Nevidela sa mi myšlienka, vydaní týchto dvoch diel v mnohých jazykoch. Boli by zle preložené a neprinášali by autorovi že by Ličko niekoho žiadnu odmenu, ako to aj bolo s Ivanom De- podviedol. nisovičom, ktorý sa stal verejným majetkom. V skutočnosti nikto za nič Solženicynovi ne- platil toľko ako my a aj Nobelovu cenu získal čiastočne vďaka nášmu úsiliu, a síce na zák- hlbokej dôvery. A nebolo pochýb o tom, že mu lade anglickej verzie Rakoviny, ktorú vtedy dal úryvok aj rukopis Rakoviny s pokynmi na pokladali za jeho vôbec najkvalitnejší román. uverejnenie v Československu, po ktorom to, Vtedy, vo chvíli tohto nečakaného úspe- prirodzene, muselo preniknúť do iných krajín. chu, som zrazu musel čeliť obvineniu, ktoré ak Ešte viac sme začali s Ličkom súcítiť, keď by sa potvrdilo, znemožnilo by mi zostať sú- som dostal anonymný list so správou, že ho časťou sveta sovietskych štúdií, nieto ešte zo- 1. septembra zatkli a obvinili zo šírenia an- trvať v službe ako minister britskej koruny. 24. tisocialistickej a antisovietskej propagandy. septembra napísal drsný komentátor Auberon Nič z toho zrejme nepokazilo Heebovu náladu Waugh do satirického dvojtýždenníka Private spolupracovať a 9. septembra mi napísal: „Som Eye stĺpček, v ktorom hlásal, že vydaním Ra- Vám veľmi vďačný za rýchle a riadne vydanie koviny, ktoré bolo povolené prostredníctvom tých diel. Preto nechcem rušiť doteraz jestvu- Pavla Lička, sme dopomohli k Solženicynov- júce dohovory...“ 6. októbra sme sa všetci stre- mu zatknutiu za šírenie antisovietskej pro-
55 „Bol by to čudný paradox, keby minister za konzervatívcov nechtiac pracoval pre KGB, všakže?“ „Bol by to čudný paradox, keby minister za konzervatívcov nechtiac pracoval pre KGB, všakže?“ Nicholas Bethell
pagandy. Článok ďalej tvrdil, že Ličko (ktorý skôr Waugh (Will This Do?, London Century v tom čase sedel v slovenskom väzení obvinený 1991, s. 229). Keby som to počul v septembri z antisovietskej činnosti) aj Dolbergby mohli 1970, cítil by som to presne takto. Mojím naj- byť agentmi sovietskej KGB. Z toho vyplýva- väčším prianím by vtedy bolo vydať také súdne lo, že na to, aby KGB zaistila dôvod na jeho nariadenie, ktoré by Waugha pripravilo o jeho zatknutie, využila Dolberga, Lička a mňa ako krásny dom vo Wiltshire. (Bolo to predtým, agentov v konšpirácii, pri ktorej zosnovala ako sa presťahoval do Somersetu.) vydanie knihy. Nebolo by to spravodlivé. Waugh nebol Článok mieril hlavne na mňa, lebo ako hlavný vinník. Ako dychtivý pozorovateľ Brit- jeden z ministerských začiatočníkov vo vláde skej politickej scény písal v tomto prípade Edwarda Heatha som bol príťažlivým terčom. o vzdialených veciach, o ktorých vedel málo. Waughova línia úvah mala toto jadro: „Bol by Iniciátormi útoku neboli satirici v Private Eye, to čudný paradox, keby bol minister za konzer- ale profesionálni rivali, „odborníci“ zo sveta vatívcov nechtiac pracoval pre KGB, všakže?“ sovietológie, znalci Kremľa z okolia CIA či Najskôr som inštinktívne zamieril za svo- MI6, iní spisovatelia a novinári zameraní na jím právnikom, ale Edwardov Heathov gene- sovietske otázky. Bolo to partia ťažkých borcov rálny prokurátor Peter Rawlinson mi poradil, a zmocnila sa ich vtedajšia paranoja, viera že nemusím podať žalobu. „Kašlite na nich,“ vo všemocnú ľstivosť KGB, ktorá premenila vravel. „Nevšímajte si ich a oni sa stiahnu.“ veľkú oblasť britského spravodajského úsilia Akoukoľvek odpoveďou by som len rozvíril na zbytočnú, keď podvrátila Philbyho a iných hladinu a prilial olej do ohňa. Pripomenul mi ľudí z anglickej vládnucej triedy. Keby som bol tiež, že zapájanie ministrov do súdnych ko- podal žalobu, títo ľudia by sa boli zjavili ako naní nebolo po chuti ústavným zvyklostiam. svedkovia brániaci Private Eye. Konfliktu medzi ministrom a súdmi sa bolo Čelil som hrozivej aliancii, ktorá zahŕňala treba vyhnúť za každú cenu. Ministrom pre- odhodlaných ľavičiarov vrátane Paula Foota to len zriedka dovolili zapliesť sa do procesu. a írskeho nacionalistu Gerryho Lawlessa, ako Private Eye však staval svoju povesť na tom, že aj tradičných pravičiarov zastúpených redak- v jednom kole zúrivo útočil na verejne známe tormi Eye Richardom Ingramsom a samotným postavy, a vyhliadku spojiť hoci aj začínajúce- Waughom. Keď 23. októbra Foot a Lawless ho ministra za konzervatívcov so sovietskou napísali do Private Eye ďalší útok nazvaný „Ni- tajnou službou si nemohol nechať ujsť. Ľudia cholas a Alexander“ na celé tri strany, spojili mali stále v čerstvej pamäti odhalenia o naj- tým sily s pravicovými znalcami sovietskych úspešnejšom dvojitom agentovi KGB Kimovi štúdií, ktorí nám závideli bravúrny kúsok, že Philbym, ktorý utiekol do Moskvy v roku 1963. sme získali a predstavili takú dôležitú knihu. Sunday Times práve vtedy odhalil túto zradu Podobné činy boli dovtedy výsadou CIA a ňou v plnej ohavnosti. Ľudia v Private Eye sa roz- sponzorovaných skupín ruských emigrantov hodli pokračovať v útoku, niektorí z nich si v Mníchove a Frankfurte. Jedným bol aj Leo dokonca nahovárali, že sú na stope „Kimovi Labedz, redaktor štvrťročníka o sovietskom Philbymu Heathovej vlády“. bloku Survey, ktorý financovala CIA. Ďalší „Pri pohľade späť na moju vtedajšiu karié- z nich bol mladý učiteľ na London School of ru a na ľudí, ktorých som pourážal, ma trošku Economics Peter Reddaway, môj niekdajší prekvapuje, že som stále nažive,“ napísal ne- priateľ, žiak Leonarda Schapira a presvedče-
58 Preklad Rakoviny
ný mladý kresťanský fundamentalista. Títo hadom, ktorého si vládni whipovia chovali na svojskí vzdelanci boli politicky a emocio- prsiach. Po tomto obede mi Mowbray povedal nálne motivovaní bojovať proti kremeľské- všetko, čo mu Jolliffe hovoril. Priznal sa, že mu protivníkovi, ako sa im to hodilo. Proti veľmi nerozumel tomu, čo počul, ale znelo tým, ktorí s nimi nesúhlasili, boli pripravení to ako niečo, do čoho by sa nerád nechal za- použiť drsné metódy, kedykoľvek to uznali tiahnuť. Nehodlal intrigovať proti kolegovi. za vhodné. Boli hybnou silou, ktorá kŕmila Private Eye ma nikdy nekontaktoval, Private Eye dávkami tej čudesnej vedy zvanej aby si preveril svoje nepodložené obvinenia. „sovietológia“. V druhej polovici roku 1970 ich len v pravi- Starý etonián a príležitostný recenzent delných intervaloch vytlačili vždy tak, ako John Jolliffe, ktorý trochu fušoval do soviet- ich dostali od sovietológov. Pozývali mojich skych štúdií a tešil sa okruhu literárnych priateľov aj bývalých priateľov na slávne obedy priateľov, ako prvý spustil ťaženie, keď vy- v Soho dúfajúc, že aj oni by sa mohli stať zdro- zval Waugha, aby o tom napísal vo svojom jom ničivej munície, a ak to bude potrebné stĺpčeku. Vyhľadal Waugha, ktorý sa v týchto aj dôkazov. Jedným z takých prispievateľov veciach nevyznal a povzbudil ho, aby sa stal bol Nigel Dempster, ktorý si písal denník. nástrojom na zapustenie jeho obvinení do Ďalším bol môj starý priateľ z harrowských tlače. Dúfal, že ak tým aj nevyvolá požiar, čias, osobný tajomník Heathovej kancelárie načmudí aspoň dosť dymu, aby zmiatol ľudí, Robin Butler, ktorý je až dodnes ctižiadosti- ktorých takéto veci mätú. „Dolberga vše- vým štátnym úradníkom. Volali ich na obedy obecne pokladali za podozrivého človeka... v nádeji, že získajú viac šípov, ktoré by v danej Práve v tomto celkovom kontexte som Au- chvíli použili proti terču. „Kto má nejakú špi- nu na Bethella?“ Asi to sa pýtal Ingrams, kým nalieval víno a zapínal magnetofón na nahrá- vanie. Ako sa však ukázalo, väčšina vybraných Dúfal, že ak tým aj nevyvolá po- informátorov (vrátane Butlera) bola lojálna žiar, načmudí aspoň dosť dymu, skôr voči mne než voči Private Eye. Hlásili mi, aby zmiatol ľudí, ktorých čo im Ingrams a ostatní povedali. Keď však potom súdna moc ostala poslednou, ktorá ma takéto veci mätú. mohla zachrániť od úpadku do profesijného zabudnutia, bol som nútený požiadať ich, aby pred tribunálom zopakovali to, čo mi dôverne beronovi Waughovi navrhol, že by sa Private povedali, a to nám bolo všetkým nepríjemné. Eye mohol pokúsiť vec preskúmať,“ hovorí Každé dva či tri týždne po mne hodili Jolliffe dnes. ďalší kameň. Už to nebola len otázka jedného O pár týždňov neskôr podnikol Jolliffe článku v hanlivom časopise. Bola to kampaň. ďalší krok. Pozval môjho kolegu vo funkcii Ľudia vraveli, že bez vetra sa ani lístok nepo- whipa lorda (Charlesa) Mowbraya na obed, hne a Waugh ma opisoval ako „nemožného pri ktorom zasypal zarazeného šľachtica prí- a nechutného mladíka“, ktorý sebecky vzdo- behmi o pochmúrnom sovietskom komplo- roval tlaku, aby odišiel zo svojho vládneho te, do ktorého som bol zapletený. Odporučil miesta. („Preboha! To som vážne napísal?“ Mowbrayovi, že by mal niečo robiť s týmto vraví Waugh dnes.)
59 Nicholas Bethell
Olej do ohňa prilial fakt, že ako minister senátora Joea McCarthyho, ktorý vtedy vo som mal nariadené nepúšťať sa do súdnych Washingtone v plnom prúde viedol svoje ťa- sporov. Zrazu som si uvedomil, že nactiutŕ- ženieako špionážny maniak a paranoik. Hoci hanie je neriadená zbraň, ktorá môže rov- v tom bol Jellicoe úplne bez viny, pokladali ho nako ľahko zničiť toho, kto ňou narába, ako za spoluvinníka a jeho kariéra tým utrpela. toho, voči komu je namierená. Povedali mi, A teraz v roku 1970 mu znova kládli chú- že môj prípad je dobrý, ale že niečo také ako lostivé otázky. Prečo ste urobili lorda Bethella jednoznačný prípad nejestvuje, a ak to chcem ministrom? Akou záhadnou cestou sa dostal dať na súd, musím byť pripravený verejne britský dedičný šľachtic, kráľovnin lord ča- zodpovedať otázky o všetkých stránkach svo- kateľ, do čudného sveta konfliktu Východ- jej práce na poli sovietskych štúdií vrátane -Západ, sveta sovietskej politiky a súčasnej toho, ako som získal Rakovinu a pripravil ruskej literatúry? Prečo ho Private Eye ob- jej vydanie. Ja sám som nemal čo skrývať, viňuje z prepojení na KGB? Moje zanietenie ale Solženicyn bol v Sovietskom zväze pod knihami, ktoré sa zaoberajú Kremľom, bolo tlakom a hrozbou zatknutia a Ličko sedel pre niektorých jednoduchých konzervatívcov v bratislavskom väzení. Nechcel som byť príliš nezvyčajným koníčkom na to, aby ho donútený pod prísahou odpovedať na otáz- uznali za vierohodné. ky tak, že by to mohlo skomplikovať ich už Koncom roka 1970 už Rawlinsonova beztak neľahké životy. pôvodná rada nebola udržateľná. Nemohol Napokon z toho boli už príliš zmätení som sa naďalej stavať k týmto opakovaným obvineniam opovržlivo a nečinne. Dostalo sa to do štádia, v ktorom som dodával obvine- niam hodnovernosť tým, že som ich nežaloval, Nechcel som byť donútený pod a šírili sa do amerických časopisov. Článok prísahou odpovedať na otázky ďalšej zarytej sovietologičky Patricie Blake tak, že by to mohlo skomplikovať v časopise Time z 28. decembra vyložil obvi- nenia najjasnejším možným spôsobom. Au- ich už beztak neľahké životy. torka tvrdila, že Ličko bol „dlhoročným dôs- tojníkom sovietskej rozviedky“ a „kľúčovou postavou týchto prepracovaných úkladov“, a nahnevaní aj nadriadení a sponzori mojej ktoré mali privodiť Solženicynovo uväznenie. vlády, obzvlášť George Jellicoe, ktorý začínal Dokonca citovala Solženicyna, ako po- byť nervózny. Jeho chránenec mal ťažkosti, prel, že by bol vôbec na začiatku dal Ličkovi čo vypovedalo o jeho úsudku – a nie po prvý nejaké rukopisy – už zo spisovateľových raz. Keď bol v rokoch 1950-51 v diplomatickej vlastných listov je jasné, že toto tvrdenie je službe vo Washingtone, priatelil sa so smutne absurdné. Článok citoval predpoveď Lea La- známym Philbym. Dôveroval mu a rozzúrilo bedza, že KGB by mohla obetovať agenta (Lič- ho, keď v roku 1951 povolali Philbyho späť do ka), aby získala muníciu proti Solženicynovi. Londýna na výsluch po tom, ako v máji toho Citoval aj spisovateľa Roberta Conquesta, roku Guy Burgess a Donald Maclean prebehli ktorý povedal, že Solženicynovo „pravdepo- do Moskvy. Jellicoe to pri všetkej nevinnos- dobné“ uväznenie by znamenalo „smrteľnú ti videl tak, že Philby bol len ďalšou obeťou vojnu celej ruskej opozícii“. Naopak, podľa
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Amnesty International bol Ličko väzňom vo vládnom záujme, aby som „prehltol horkú svedomia, keďže čakal vo väzení na proces pilulku“ a konal. V danej situácii som bol ako a trpel za svoje presvedčenie. minister neužitočný. Nemal som pocit, že musím podať de- Sľúbil, že veci uľahčí, ako to len bude misiu. Svedomie som mal čisté a Private Eye možné. Vysvetlí kolegom, že moja povesť zo- útočil rovnako zúrivo aj na vyšších minis- stala nedotknutá, že nado mnou nevisí tieň trov, na Reginalda Maudlinga (oprávnene) za nečestnosť, na Jellicoa (trochu oprávnene) za opilectvo, a na samotného Heatha (neo- právnene) za jeho neschopnosť. Ak by bol mal Vysvetlil mi, že nemám inú mož- odstúpiť každý minister, na ktorého Private nosť než „urobiť, čo sa patrí“, Eye útočil, nedala by sa zostaviť vláda. Premiér odstúpiť z vlády, dať tú záležitosť ma však pokladal za špeciálny prípad. na súd a očistiť si meno. „Útočili na Vás z titulu bezpečnosti. Pravdaže ste nemali inú alternatívu ako odstúpiť a podať žalobu,“ povedal mi Heath v roku 1990. Odpovedal som mu, že nesúhla- podozrenia, ale odstúpil som kvôli právnej sím, pretože obvinenia o zapojení KGB neboli formalite. A uistil ma, že čoskoro usporiada vôbec podložené. v Snemovni lordov malú „rozlúčkovú“ recep- Na žiadosť Jellicoa som vtedy už predlo- ciu alebo obed, aby všetci videli jeho osobnú žil všetky svoje papiere súvisiace s tou vecou dôveru. A potom, keď vyhrám svoj právny vedúcemu expertovi na sovietske záležitosti spor, vrátia ma do funkcie ministra. Potom v rezorte zahraničia Thomasovi Brimelowo- sa aj naskytne šanca povýšiť ma, ktorá je teraz vi. Vonkoncom nepochyboval o mojej verzii nulová. Vravel, že taký je úzus. Veril som mu udalostí. Vôbec nebolo treba ísť s tou vecou a 5. januára 1971 som podal demisiu. pred súd. Vlastne to bolo vysoko nežiaduce, Nasledujúce mesiace neboli ľahké. Bolo pretože to mohlo ohroziť ľudí pod kontrolou by mi pomohlo, keby bol Jellicoe spravil, čo Sovietskeho zväzu. povedal a usporiadal mi „rozlúčkovú párty“. V decembri ma Heath prostredníctvom Bol by mi tým prejavil podporu. Ukázalo sa, Jellicoa informoval, že aféra sa stala príťažou že sa mu to nehodilo. Môj priateľ Earl (Grey) a že by som mal myslieť na svoje povinnosti Gowrie mi vo svojom byte v Covent Garden voči dôležitejším kolegom, voči vláde ako cel- dohodol stretnutie na obed s Richardom In- ku a voči mojej krajine. Pamätám si jeho slová: gramsom. Ako sme s Ingramsom trápne spolu „Teraz sa už musíte brániť. Ale nemôžete to sedeli v Gowrieho obývačke, podozrievavo robiť od rečníckeho pultu v parlamente.“ Vy- jeden na druhého hľadeli a pokúšali sa nájsť svetlil mi, že nemám inú možnosť než „urobiť, mierumilovný spôsob, ako konflikt ukončiť, čo sa patrí“, odstúpiť z vlády, dať tú záležitosť Gowrieho znamenité šampanské nám kyslo na súd a očistiť si meno (E. Standard, 3. febru- v ústach. Aj tak sme neuspeli a začiatok roka ár 1993). Od Jellicoa som tiež vyrozumel, že 1971 som potom strávil prípravou žaloby na pokiaľ to spravím a proces vyhrám, opätovne Private Eye. Môj advokát Leon Brittan mi ma vymenujú. Vravel, že prípady s takýmto povedal, že plnohodnotný proces by mohol postupom sa už vyskytli. Bolo teda v mojom aj trvať tri roky, a aj keby som ho vyhral, nevy-
61 Nicholas Bethell
hnutne to budú hrozné muky. A keby som dymi úradmi, špehovali okolo môjho domu, prehral – a pri procesoch s nactiutŕhaním si sledovali hostí, odpočúvali moje telefonáty, nikdy nemožno byť úplne istý – mohlo ma to vŕtali diery v stropoch, umiestňovali nahrá- stáť aj posledný halier. Pri urážke na cti štát vacie zariadenia v mojom mestskom byte aj nepodáva žiadnu právnu pomoc. v mojej chate, a neustále viedli očierňujúcu Pred procesom som potreboval zistiť aj kampaň proti mne z pódií prednáškových sie- Solženicynov názor. Sovietske víza meškali ní, ktoré majú funkcionári z vášho minister- a do Moskvy som sa dostal až v júli 1971. (Bola stva k dispozícii. Ale po včerajšom prepadnutí to moja posledná návšteva sovietskeho bloku už viac mlčať nebudem...“ na ďalších vyše 15 rokov.) Stretol som Solže- Vďaka správam o Solženicynových nicynovu švagrinú Veroniku Turkinu a dal problémoch som sa síce na svoje díval v ich som jej nejaké papiere, ktoré mu odovzdala. reálnych rozmeroch, no nevykračoval som si Vrátila sa ku mne so správou, že pre túto vec ľahkým chodníčkom. Strácal som pôdu pod mám jeho pochopenie. Takto povzbudený nohami, keď si ma pretriasali obrovité záujmy som sa vrátil do Londýna pripravený podať veľmocí. Moji bývalí kolegovia vo vláde boli žalobu. Podklady na súd boli hotové a po- zatiaľ zarazení a neurčito ma podozrieva- slúžili proti Private Eye, ako aj osobne proti li, prečo som len tak zrazu odišiel zo scény Auberonovi Waughovi. s naivnou výhovorkou, že sa „vraciam ku Veľmi dobre som vedel, že som mal len svojej práci spisovateľa“, a to tvárou v tvár malé osobné ťažkosti v porovnaní s človekom, čudným obvineniam v satirickom časopise a bez toho, aby nejaký vysokopostavený mi- nister podal ospravedlnenie či vysvetlenie. Sovietska strana bola zatiaľ rovnako Vrátila sa ku mne so správou, podozrievavá a nepriateľsky naladená. Mal som v pláne zájsť do Bratislavy a navštíviť že pre túto vec mám jeho rodinu Pavla Lička. Ličko bol v nezávidenia- pochopenie. hodnej situácii. Tvrdošijní znalci Kremľa ho obviňovali, že je agentom KGB, zatiaľ čo on si odpykával 18 mesiacov vo väzení za „antiso- cializmus“. Ale telegram z českého veľvysla- ktorému som údajne uškodil. Kampaň voči nectva mi 23. septembra 1971 oznámil, že mi Solženicynovi sa stupňovala a on jej čelil s veľ- vypovedali víza. Dokonca mi vrátili poplatok kou odvahou. Napríklad 12. augusta 1971 sa ľu- 1,20 libry s ospravedlnením za vzniknuté dia z KGB vlámali do jeho dače mimo Moskvy nepríjemnosti. a zbili jeho priateľa Alexandra Gorlova, ktorý V januári 1972 som zažiadal znova, ale ich náhodou prichytil pri čine. Nasledujúci tento raz prišla odpoveď v inej podobe. Keď deň napísal otvorený list šéfovi KGB Jurijo- som sa 7. februára vrátil domov z večere, viAndropovovi: „Po celé roky som v tichosti vyvolávali mi priatelia a novinári so zvlášt- znášal, ako vaši zamestnanci porušujú zákon, nou novinkou, že slovenská televízia práve keď kontrolovali celú moju korešpondenciu, odvysielala 25-minútový film s názvom Kto zhabali polovicu z nej, sliedili po mojich do- je lord Bethell?. Film, v ktorom použili listy, pisovateľoch, prenasledovali ich v práci aj vlá- papiere a nahrávky zhabané v Ličkovom byte,
62 Preklad Rakoviny
vysvetľoval, že Ličko konal ako môj „lokaj“ a nemal som chuť sa ponosovať. Zamietnutiu v antisocialistickej a antisovietskej kampani. víz musel predsa čeliť hociktorý autor píšúci Komentátor citoval moje listy, v ktorých som o sovietskych záležitostiach, ak nechcel v záuj- si pýtal životopisné údaje o Gustávovi Husá- me svojom aj Kremľa držať svoje pero na uzde. kovi a iných protireformných lídroch. Tieto A ja som sa takto svoje pero brzdiť nechystal. novinárske otázky prezentovali ako dôkaz Ale zásadné boli moje problémy doma. Keby o úzkom vzťahu s MI6. Uisťovali slovenských som prehral prípad, mohlo ma to zruinovať divákov: „Lord Bethell nie je postava, ktorú finančne aj profesionálne, a v najhoršom prí- sme si pre svoj príbeh vymysleli. Je živý, v pl- pade by sa dôkazy predložené na anglickom nej sile, a spolu so zamestnancami britskej súde dali použiť na priťaženie Solženicynovi. tajnej služby proti nám vytrvalo pracuje.“ A musel by som sa zodpovedať. Bol som nútený Bolo to žalostné rozpoloženie, obidve pamätať na fakt, že som len pešiakom zaplete- strany ma obvinili za spoluprácu s tajnou ným do čohosi väčšieho než „veľká hra“. Bol to službou tej druhej. Ale Ličko bol v oveľa hor- krutý boj a na mňa z oboch strán pálili veľmi šej situácii. Pár dní predtým si odpykal trest silné zbrane. vo väzení. Bol späť doma na Vlčkovej ulici Stál som však za svojím najlepšie, ako v Bratislave. Televízny program teraz z neho som mohol. Spochybnil som skutočnosti spravil vyvrheľa. Na Slovensku naňho útočili, v hlavnom dokumente obhajoby Private Eye, že je britský agent, a v časopise Time naňho ktorý pripravil prevažne Peter Reddaway, a po zas útočili, že je sovietsky agent. Doma bol niekoľkých rokovaniach v júni 1972 Priva- verejne označený za antisocialistického zrad- te Eye za prítomnosti verejnosti priznal, že cu a nemohol sa zamestnať. Väzenie zhoršilo ich obvinenia boli „úplne neopodstatnené“. jeho chronický zápal priedušiek. A za týchto Ospravedlnili sa tiež Dolbergovi a obom nám čudných okolností som mu nemohol ani len zaplatili odškodné po 1000 libier a náklady poslať pohľadnicu či zatelefonovať slovko v plnej výške. Peter Rawlinson napísal: „Roz- súcitu. Nech by som mu ponúkol akúkoľvek hodne mám pocit, že formulácia (osprave- pomoc, len by mu to priťažilo. Podľa mienky dlnenia) je jednoznačná a dostatočne Vás slovenskej tajnej polície pracoval pre Západ zbavuje urážky na cti. Veľmi si vážim, čo ste pod mojím „vedením“. Najnepatrnejší kon- museli v tejto veci absolvovať...“ takt z mojej strany mohli v Bratislave vnímať Na rozdiel od prognóz Private Eye a Time ako pokus oživiť našu „špionážnu skupinu“. nedostala KGB Lička nikdy pod kontrolu. Nik- Takto žil roky v chudobe a opustený mnohými dy nepodal dôkaz či akékoľvek vyhlásenie proti priateľmi, hoci jeho manželka Marta a deti mu Solženicynovi, hoci (neskôr som to odhalil) vo naďalej boli oporou. väzení ho k tomu tlačili sovietski aj českoslo- Ja som bol vystavený útoku na rovna- venskí tajní policajti. Statočne im nepovedal kých dvoch frontoch, a preto som nemohol nič, čo sa tak horlivo chceli dozvedieť. Ukázalo byť veľmi užitočný, či už ako spisovateľ alebo sa, že v tom čase úrady skutočne zamýšľali, stúpenec Heathovej vlády. Po takom výbuchu že by sami vydali Rakovinu, aby tak otvorili v oficiálnej komunistickej televízii bolo prav- rokovanie s búrlivým spisovateľom. Ako sa depodobné, že mi už nikdy nedovolia navštíviť ukázalo, celá konšpiračná teória zameraná na krajinu sovietskeho bloku a hľadať informácie Lička, Dolberga a Rakovinu, tak ako ju nazna- ako novinár. To bola škoda, no nie zas tragédia čili sovietológovia a ako ju John Jolliffe ďalej
63 Nicholas Bethell
odovzdal Auberonovi Waughovi a ostatným, Aldwyn, či by som chcel byť jedným z prvých bola skrátka výplodom ich fantázie. britských poslancov v Európskom parlamen- Utešuje ma skutočnosť, že o prípade te. Povedal mi, že má byť nominovaných šesť „Bethell proti Waughovi“, na ktorý Private- konzervatívnych šľachticov a moje meno by Eye vynaložil tak veľa času a tisícky libier, sa bolo uprednostnené. dejiny tohto časopisu od Patricka Marnhama Pamätám si, ako mi doma tesne pred pol- ani raz nezmieňujú (Patrick Marnham: The nocou 30. decembra 1972 zazvonil telefón. Bol Private Eye Story: The First 21 Years, Londýn, to priateľsky naladený St. Aldwyn, ale akýsi Deutsch, 1982). Waugh túto záležitosť rovnako nesvoj. Vravel, že napokon ma nemohli za- ani len nespomenul vo svojich memoároch, hrnúť do zoznamu pre EP. Toto bola ďalšia z ktorých značná časť hovorí o iných vyhratých a prehratých prípadoch nactiutŕhania. Mô- žem len konštatovať, že Private Eye sa hanbil spomenúť to. „Nebol to prípad urážky na cti, Zaslali sme Vaše meno do na ktorý by sme boli obzvlášť hrdí,“ potvrdil Európy, ale Ted ho vyčiarkol. Waugh v novembri 1993, keď vyjadril ľútosť nad tým, čo napísal pred 23 rokmi. MI5 a MI6 ho od Vás odradili. Preniesol som sa cez svoju ujmu a šiel som zo súdu domov. Čakal som na telefonát, v ktorom mi ponúknu späť moje vládne miesto, o čom ma uisťovali. Nedočkal som sa.Premiéri pohroma. Samotný post v Európskom parla- sa zrejme neradi ocitajú v tieni zlých správ. mente pre mňa nebol dôležitý ako taký, ale ako Majú vlastné problémy, priveľa problémov, znamenie rehabilitácie, symbol dôvery vlády. a nevidia dôvod pridávať si k nim. Edwardo- Keď mi tú prácu najskôr ponúkli a potom to vi Heathovi robili starosti mzdová politika odvolali, vláda zasväteným ukázala, že môj a štrajkujúci baníci. Nehodlal niesť riziko prípad je ešte stále zahalený rúškom temnoty. a vymenovať veľmi mladého podriadeného, Po celú dobu som sa obával následkov ktorý sa nedávno vyhrabal z prípadu s nacti- toho, že som na ťarchu. Tak som vyčkal rok utŕhaním, nech už bolo právo v tej veci na ho- a 6. februára 1974 som sa šiel poradiť so St. cijakej strane a nech už padli akékoľvek sľuby. Aldwynom. Práve na tomto stretnutí mi potvr- Predsa len tu však bol dohovor, úzus, že dil to, čoho sme sa aj s priateľmi stále obávali ak nejaký minister odstúpil kvôli právnemu a o čom sa dlho klebetilo, a síce že MI5 a MI6 problému, mal by byť vrátený do funkcie, len odrádzali Heatha od toho, aby mi ponúkol čo sa problém uspokojivo odstráni. Keď zača- hoci ten najnižší vládny post. Vravel, že mu lo byť jasné, že sa tak nestane, v niektorých bolo veľmi ľúto, keď koncom roka 1972 vzbudil vládnych kruhoch začínali padať otázky. Zo- moju nádej na miesto v Štrasburgu, a vysvetlil pár kolegov vo vláde za mňa lobovalo, napr. mi: „Ted (Heath) Vás do tímu nechce. Zaslali „Grey“ Gowrey a „Bertie“ Denham. A najmä sme Vaše meno do Európy, ale Ted ho vyčiar- preto, aby sa tieto otázky zodpovedali, spýtal kol. MI5 a MI6 ho od Vás odradili.“ sa ma pred vstupom Británie do Európskeho O pár dní prestal byť Heath premiérom, hospodárskeho spoločenstva koncom roka tak som mal 25. apríla pocit, že mu môžem 1972 vedúci whip v Snemovni lordov Earl St. napísať a poukázať na to, že napriek môjmu
64 Preklad Rakoviny
víťazstvu v prípade s nactiutŕhaním sa zdá, že zvolili do úradu. Dlhé roky ma však zlostilo, ten problém stále nie je vyriešený. Požiadal že vymenovanie a prepustenie britského mi- som ho o stretnutie. Jeho odpoveďou boli dva nistra obklopoval taký zmätok a vykrúcanie odmietavé listy z 10. mája a 4. júna, v ktorých sa, a že ani dlho potom nebol nikto ochotný nereagoval na moju žiadosť o stretnutie a tvr- so mnou o tom hovoriť. Celé to vlastne bola dil, že som dezinterpretoval St. Aldwynove ponurá záležitosť, ktorá netrápila Britov a už slová. Svoj druhý list zakončil: „Dúfam, že mi nekazila dennodennú pohodu, ale číhala teraz môžeme považovať túto vec za uzavre- ako tieň v mojom podvedomí. tú.“ Nebol ochotný venovať svojmu bývalému Uplynulo 20 rokov. V roku 1990 som na- podriadenému zamestnancovi ani len minútu pokon napísal Edwardovi Heathovi, pripome- svojho času. Bol príliš zaneprázdnený a celé nul som mu, čo sa stalo v roku 1970 a požiadal to bolo skrátka príliš nepríjemné. ho o stretnutie. Súhlasil, dokonca navrhol Samozrejme, že som to nemohol pokladať zájsť do vládnejbudovy, nahliadnuť do svojich za uzavreté. Urážky na cti som sa očividne ešte vládnych papierov a občerstviť si spomienky nezbavil, prinajmenšom nie v očiach tajných na môj prípad. Dohodol som schôdzku a 27. služieb či lídra mojej strany. Na rozdiel od septembra som sa dostavil so svojím fasciklom dneška vtedy neexistoval žiaden prostriedok, k jeho domu v Belgravii. Čakal som naňho, ale ako podať na MI5 či MI6 sťažnosť. Dovolával na schôdzku neprišiel. som sa najvyšších politických miest, ale lídri O pár dní (2. októbra) mi napísal: „Ne- mojej strany Heath a Jellicoe by mi v ničom mám viac čo dodať k tomu, čo som Vám už nepomohli. Ich odpoveďou bolo tváriť sa, že povedal. Nie som ani ochotný prispieť do Va- problém nejestvuje. Mohol som len sedieť bez šej autobiografie informáciami z dôverných pohybu a čakať na zmenu. A zmeny na seba ne- dokumentov. A po prečítaní Vášho listu z 10. nechali dlho čakať. V roku 1973 musel Jellicoe septembra úplne odmietam Vaše nepodlože- kvôli zápletke s prostitútkou zvanou Norma né tvrdenia o zmätku, nieto ešte o ‚ponurej odstúpiť zo svojej kabinetnej pozície Lorda záležitosti’. Nedostali ste ani žiadne ‚záväzky’ kráľovskej pečate . Následne sa vo februári 1974 na ‚priaznivé zváženie’ Vašej budúcej funk- voliči zbavili Heatha ako premiéra a vo februári cie. Ak chcete ovplyvňovať vládne funkcie 1975 jeho poslanci ako predsedu strany. v budúcnosti, radšej ste sa mali obrátiť na Margaret Thatcherová po ňom prevzala budúcich premiérov.“ vedenie Konzervatívnej strany v marci 1975. O pár dní sa v Európskom parlamente uvoľ- nilo miesto. Moje meno nanovo navrhol líder Z anglického originálu preložil Andrej Čierny. našich europoslancov Peter Kirk a tentoraz ho nová líderka konzervatívcov nevetovala. Bolo mi dovolené nastúpiť na skromnú pozíciu v Štrasburgu. Od tejto chvíle mi tajné služby už ne- robili ťažkosti a nemal som sa na ne prečo sťažovať. Stratil som ambíciu na ministerský post, ale v Štrasburgu a Bruseli som bol spo- kojný, hlavne po tom, ako ma tam v júni 1979
65 The Translation of Cancer Ward
Nicholas Bethell In Spies and Other Secrets The Translation of Cancer Ward The Translation of In the late 1960s it began to be rumoured that It was Marta who made the first con- Solzhenitsyn had completed two full-length tact. „Towards the end of 1966 our magazine novels, Cancer Ward and In the First Circle, wrote to various Russian writers asking for Cancer Ward both of them about labour-camp life. They short extracts from their work. We wanted were said to be great works, in the literary as to print an anthology. Solzhenitsyn was one well as the political sense. His Ivan Denisovich of them. Rather to our surprise, he sent us an had made a massive stir both inside and out- extract, a chapter from Cancer Ward, a novel side Russia. The two new full-length novels, it he was just finishing. We saw at once what was said, would be equally explosive and they a remarkable piece of work it was, although were more substantial works. I had helped to hardly suitable for a women’s magazine. Pavel promote Ivan Denisovich and I was keen to and I discussed and decided to hand it over get involved in the other work too. to the literary supplement of the Bratislava Still, few westerners had ever heard of newspaper Pravda. It appeared there in my him. His name was especially difficult for translation on January 7th, 1967.“ foreigners to pronounce. He was living in Ličko had contacts with Soviet officers Ryazan, 130 miles south-east of Moscow. through the veterans’ movement from the Communication with any Soviet citizen was Second World War. While visiting Russia in then a dangerous and complicated matter. In this capacity in March 1967, he sent Solzhe- Solzhenitsyn’s case it was even harder, since nitsyn a telegram, asking if he could call on he had no telephone, his mail was controlled him. The writer replied, „You are welcome and he lived outside Moscow’s 50-kilometre to call next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or ring. It was doubtful whether any westerner Thursday...“ The enthusiasm of Solzhenit- had ever met him and it seemed virtually syn’s reply was the result of his excitement impossible for anyone to contemplate doing so. Still, I sensed that he was a giant, that it was only a matter of time before he emerged from obscurity and was seen to tower over The writer replied, „You are his colleagues, in the literary as well as the welcome to call next Monday, political sense. Tuesday, Wednesday In mid-1967 I was surprised to find that or Thursday...“ there was one foreigner who had visited Sol- zhenitsyn in Ryazan and come to know him well. This was Pavel Ličko, a journalist from Bratislava in Slovakia. Ličko had fought aga- at news that part of his book had appeared inst Nazi forces during the Slovak National in a foreign country, albeit in the obscure Uprising in 1944. After the war he worked for Bratislava Pravda. Pavel therefore travelled the Communist Party’s press department, but to Ryazan, where he was warmly welcomed, he resigned from this post in 1951 during the on the basis of the Pravda extract. He quic- Stalinist purges and joined the local magazine kly won Solzhenitsyn’s trust and he received Kultúrny Život. His wife Marta, well-known from him a great honour, the first substantial as a translator from Russian, worked for Slo- interview ever given by Solzhenitsyn to a fo- venka, a woman’s weekly magazine. reign journalist. On March 31st it appeared
67 Nicholas Bethell
in Kultúrny Život under the title „One Day in your wife every success in your work ...“ He the Life of Alexander Solzhenitsyn“. went on to mention some cuts made in the Meanwhile, according to Ličko, around chapter by the Pravda editors and wrote again March 20th the two men met to discuss an on April 21st: „I have received the issues of even more important matter, in Moscow at the Kultúrny Život that you sent me. Thank you Cafe Lira off Gorky Street. Ličko (according to very much ... I am pleased that our interview an affidavit that he later swore in London on appeared, although I see that a few inaccura- August 1st, 1968) says, „Solzhenitsyn perso- cies crept in ... With all my heart I wish you nally gave me the text of Part One of Cancer success in your work! I have happy memories Ward and a copy of the play The Love Girl and of our meeting ...“ A third letter dated May the Innocent. We discussed at this meeting 21st began, „I am glad that our interview has the possibility of publishing Solzhenitsyn’s had further success ... However, some of the literary works, as a whole, abroad. I asked Sol- biographical details are incorrect. Nothing zhenitsyn directly whether he had anything can be done about this now ... But don’t let this against this and he replied that he wanted list of mistakes cloud your good mood. In all his work to be published in the first place in substantial points it came out very well. I wish England and Japan, since he believed that you and Marta all success in the work you are the English and the Japanese have the most now beginning.“ By this last phrase he was deep-rooted culture in the world. At the con- clusion of our conversation I asked Solzhenit- syn whether I was to be his western literary representative. He replied that I was and that But don’t let this list of he wanted me to arrange for publication of mistakes cloud your good mood. Cancer Ward and the above-mentioned play In all substantial points as soon as possible ...“ it came out very well. Ličko wore the priceless manuscripts un- der his shirt for the rest of his stay in Moscow and took them back to Bratislava. Marta’s sister Magda then began translating Cancer referring to the translation of the rest of the Ward, so that it could appear as a book later. Cancer Ward, which was then being prepared Solzhenitsyn studied the Cancer Ward by Magda Takáčová, Pavel’s sister-in-law. extract from Bratislava Pravda that Ličko had It is from the warmth of the language used given him in mid-March 1967, and sent Ličko by Solzhenitsyn in these letters, and from the several friendly letters. On April 1st he wrote: fact that part of Cancer Ward had already been „I am very grateful to you for your precision printed through the agency of Ličko’s wife with and accuracy ... The make-up of your Pravda the author’s approval, that Ličko was trusted is unusual to our eye, but very interesting, by Solzhenitsyn and could therefore expect to with its sketches for my chapter ... I would be trusted by me. There was no doubt that he just rather that you did not translate Cancer had given him Cancer Ward, as Ličko claimed, Ward into Slovak as ‚oncological department’. and that it was appearing in Czechoslovakia It is too specialist and medical. There must with the author’s approval. be a Slovak word for ‚cancer’ ... I wish you and Ličko’s interview was reprinted in the
68 The Translation of Cancer Ward
Russian émigré journal Grani and drawn to I would one day translate Cancer Ward, or my attention by Alexander Dolberg, a Russian on my career in general. friend and writer who had escaped from the There was a more important political dis- Soviet Union in 1956 and lived in London. As traction. At the end of 1967 Antonín Novotny’s a result I was encouraged to drive to Bratislava neo-Stalinist government of Czechoslovakia from Warsaw, where I was working on a biogra- had been removed and the new communist phy of their then leader, Wladyslaw Gomulka, leader, Alexander Dubček, had come to power and make myself known to him. During several resolved to build „socialism with a human meetings in October 1967 I showed him my face“. Of course I supported such aspirations. credentials, my reviews of Solzhenitsyn’s work It seemed a reachable objective, whereas the from the TLS, my radio version of Ivan Deni- idea of removing Czechoslovakia from the sovich and my translation of Brodsky’s poems. Warsaw Pact and the socialist camp, as the He showed me the manuscripts and the letters Hungarians had tried to do 12 years earlier, from Ryazan, and he gave me the extract from seemed very dangerous. Also, it became easier Cancer Ward that had appeared in Pravda. In to communicate with Ličko. The telephone this way we established one another’s bona link worked better. Visas were easier to obtain. fides. I was aware of the risks to Solzhenitsyn The mail was interfered with less. that might arise from any premature publi- I had with me in London the extract from cation of his work. On the other hand, a boost Cancer Ward translated by Marta Ličkova for to his reputation in the West might help him. Pravda and I arranged for it to be published on Most importantly, I was persuaded by the evi- April 11th, 1968, by my former employers, the dence that Ličko enjoyed the writer’s trust and Times Literary Supplement. It was a second- had been authorised to act on his behalf, both -hand version. Marta had put it from Russian in Czechoslovakia and elsewhere. into Slovak. It was then turned from Slovak into In December 1967, shortly after my English by Cecil Parrott, who had been British return to London, my cousin Guy died and ambassador in Prague in the early 1960s. suddenly I had the right to sit in the British Although it had undergone two transla- parliament as a hereditary member of the tions, this first western publication of any House of Lords. In Britain under Harold part of the novel alerted western critics to Wilson this was hardly something to be ad- the existence of something important. The vertised. A few people were impressed. More Pravda publication had passed unnoticed. The people, especially in the media and publishing journal was too obscure. But the TLS was read world, were embarrassed by or distrustful all over the world. Solzhenitsyn heard of it on of anyone who stood to gain through the April 13th the BBC’s Russian service. „A shock! survival of such crude unearned privilege. Stunning but joyful! It had started!“ he writes It made them suspicious, or even hostile. in 1980 in his autobiographical work The Oak Furthermore, draft legislation to reform the and the Calf. He had not passed Cancer Ward House of Lords and phase out its hereditary to the West, he continues, „but if it had found element had already been prepared by the its own way there, then that was how it should Wilson government. It was anyway, I recall be, God’s appointed hour had come“. This was thinking at the time, hardly something that how he welcomed the fact that, as he must would have any bearing on my hopes that have known, Ličko had passed a chapter from
69 Nicholas Bethell
his book to a British intermediary. by publication in western countries, whether Solzhenitsyn wondered how such im- authorised or not. pudence would be viewed by the authorities The book was going to appear anyway, so soon (two years) after the Sinyavsky and with or without Soviet consent, and they might Daniel trial. He reassured himself, „I had as well make the best of that fact. This was his a presentiment that I was being carried along plan. Also, he looked forward to his „first real a path where none could withstand me. You’ll test as a writer“ on the basis of Cancer Ward. see, nothing will happen ... What I had to wor- He believed rightly that he would pass it, that ry about was not that it was coming out, but the book would be acclaimed as a masterpiece, how it would be received there (in the West). and that this would strengthen his position This was my first real test as a writer... I wan- in Moscow. ted peace, but I must act! Not wait for them The London publishers Bodley Head were to rally for the attack, but attack them now!“ now ready to invite me and Dolberg to transla- Solzhenitsyn explains that in 1967-68 he still te the novel and the play The Love Girl and hoped that Cancer Ward might be published the Innocent into English. It was to be done, in the Soviet Union. At one stage it was even though, on a speculative basis, without a set set up in type for serialisation in Novy Mir. fee and through the payment only of royalties It was not therefore seen as anti-Soviet pro- which might or might not materialise. Max Re- paganda. It was on the border line of what inhardt, Manager of Bodley Head, explained to might or might not be let through by the cen- us that he could not be sure that the book, in sors. Far from being actionable, it was almost our translation, would even be published, let publishable. There was never any hint in the alone become a best-seller. We might lose the Soviet Union that he might be prosecuted on race, in which case our work would be useless the basis of Cancer Ward. and he would pay us nothing. The question therefore arises, why did Bodley Head prepared contracts which he give Ličko the manuscript and ask him to I took to Bratislava. And on March 22nd, 1968, have it published in Czechoslovakia? And why in „Zochova chata“ restaurant, 20 miles out- was he writing letters to him about how Can- side town, Ličko signed it in the presence of cer Ward should be translated into Slovak? my friends Alan Williams and Henrietta Baker In The Oak and the Calf he does not answer as well as myself, asserting that he was acting these questions. Indeed, neither Ličko’s name with the author’s consent and on his orders. nor mine is mentioned in a passage which Ličko later signed another paper giving Bod- otherwise covers the episode in some detail. ley Head permission to market non-English I presumed, then as well as now, that rights in the works. the arrangements he made openly with The „Prague Spring“ of 1968 was by now Ličko were part of his tactic, his plan to put in full flower. A wave of freedom was sweeping pressure on the Soviet leaders. An edition across Czechoslovakia and there was little of Cancer Ward appearing in a communist censorship or restriction on movement into country, albeit in Dubček’s liberal Czecho- or out of the country. slovakia, was a less provocative action than We believed that our contract was valid, publication in the West. On the other hand, that it was what the author had ordered, but the Slovak edition was bound to be followed it was based on a word-of-mouth instruc-
70 The Translation of Cancer Ward
tion from Solzhenitsyn to Ličko, delivered in nient to denounce all publication of his work a Moscow cafe, and we were anxious if possible abroad. He wrote to the Italian newspaper to strengthen this weak link in the chain of Unita (June 4th) that no foreign publisher had authority. Otherwise another publisher might received any manuscript or authorisation from beat us in an unseemly race to be first in the him. This was in one respect untrue. He had bookshops. At the same time, we knew that certainly given a manuscript and instructions Solzhenitsyn was playing a complicated tacti- to Marta and Pavel Ličko, at least as regards cal game with the Soviet authorities and might publication in Czechoslovakia. find it inconvenient to give such an authority Ličko came to London in July 1968 and openly. He might conceal his true wishes, as under the supervision of our solicitor Peter Boris Pasternak had done when Dr Zhivago Carter-Ruck swore the August 1st affidavit to was first published by the Italian publisher the effect that he was acting on Solzhenitsyn’s Feltrinelli in 1956. behalf. The document was then used to protect In April 1968, Ličko went to Moscow to Cancer Ward’s copyright, to keep anti-Soviet clarify the matter and obtain the author’s con- pressure groups out of the picture, to ensure firmation of the March 22nd contract. They that large numbers of editions of varying qu- did not meet, but they exchanged messages ality did not appear in a confused manner, as though their mutual friend, the writer Boris had happened with his previous works, and Mozhayev, and Solzhenitsyn thanked Ličko for to make it possible to accumulate royalties arranging publication of the Times Literary on the author’s behalf. In late 1968 and again Supplement extract. Ličko wrote in a letter in 1969 Cancer Ward was duly published in mailed in Vienna on May 12th: „I tried to make Dolberg’s and my translation, first Part One, contact with Alexander (Solzhenitsyn) ... I in- then Part Two, then the combined book, as was formed him exactly of the position. Above all the play The Love Girl and the Innocent. Other I asked him to let me have the written autho- versions licensed by Bodley Head appeared in rity needed by Max Reinhardt of Bodley Head other western countries, to the benefit of Sol- ... Alexander does not want to reveal openly his zhenitsyn’s reputation throughout the world connection with me and Bodley Head, but he as well as his bank balance. fully approves of everything I have done. He On August 21st, 1968, the Soviet army in- is pleased that an edition of his book is about vaded Czechoslovakia. For a few months, tho- to appear in England ...“ ugh, some of the fruits of „the Prague spring“ On this basis Dolberg and I were encoura- remained. Dubček was allowed, theoretically, ged to press on with our work and Bodley Head to resume his place as his country’s leader. The started selling foreign rights, with some suc- press was still more open than in any other cess, although in each case there was a nagging communist country. Westerners could enter fear that other publishers might be involved. with visas issued at border posts. Czechs and There would be few prizes for any publisher Slovaks could travel in and out on their pas- or translator who came in second in the race. sports, without any special difficulty. In these Solzhenitsyn writes (p. 209) that in public, circumstances we kept in touch with Ličko by under pressure from the Soviet authorities and telephone and visited him, and he helped me especially from his „old friends“ like Alexander to keep up a barrage of journalistic attacks on Tvardovsky on Novy Mir, he found it conve- the Soviet occupation of his country.
71 Nicholas Bethell
In March 1969, for instance, he took me to courage and genius I so admired, whose work meet Štefan Dubček, father of the Slovak le- I had played a part in bringing before the wes- ader, in Biskupice Hospital, ten miles from tern public. I made contact with his friends, Bratisiava. Štefan Dubček told me in slow but including Boris Mozhayev. He told me of his clear English, a language he had not used for disappointment that the 1969 Nobel Prize for many decades, how he first emigrated to the Literature had gone to Samuel Beckett rather United States and worked as a cabinet maker than to his colleague. The campaign against in Chicago: „I was a good worker, you know. Solzhenitsyn in Ryazan had begun, he told me, I make good money, 40 dollars a week. But a few days after the prize was awarded in Oc- I join American communist party. And then tober 1969. I also met the neo-Stalinist editor I decide to go to Soviet Union. I wanted to go of the weekly Literaturnaya Gazeta, Alexander there. That was my idea.“ He had taken his Chakovsky, who told me that the Ryazan ex- whole family, including young Alexander, to pulsion move „merely expresses the opinion Kirghizia in the far east of the Soviet Union, of society“ (NYT Magazine, April 12th, 1970). where their work was hard and little apprecia- I was not able to meet the man himself. He ted. „I was working without one cent.“ Even had never been interviewed by any westerner, after the Soviet invasion of his country the I was told, and he was living outside Moscow, previous August he remained a true believer. in the annexe to a dacha owned by the great „If Lenin was alive today, he would agree with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich at Zhukovka, what my son did.“ It was the highest accolade 100 yards from the dacha of Academician A.D. that he could pay. (The Guardian, March 31st, Sakharov. His personal politics were at a deli- 1969) At the end of our meeting, as we were cate stage after his expulsion from the union. leaving, he shouted into my tape recorder in For seven years he had been a Soviet liberal, English, „I wish all the peoples good luck!“ a member of the writers’ establishment. He Ličko was clearly a product of this „libe- was on the way to becoming an anti-Soviet ral“ communist tendency in Czechoslovakia dissident. He did not want to complicate all and we had no reason at this stage to think this, Mozhayev told me, by a meeting with that Solzhenitsyn was other than content with a foreigner. Whatever was said about him in the arrangements he and I had made. Cancer any foreign publication, it was likely to be used Ward was selling steadily. The Love Girl and against him. Mozhayev did however pass me the Innocent was about to be performed in Solzhenitsyn’s best wishes and there was no America. Bodley Head were collecting royal- word of reproach for anything we had done ties. On November 4th, 1969, he was expelled about his work. from the Union of Writers after a disagreeable In June 1970 Edward Heath won Britain’s argument in the Ryazan branch. It seemed general election and, in spite of my limited clear that press attacks would continue, altho- political experience, he offered me a job as ugh he was becoming more and more defiant, a Whip in the House of Lords, the most junior and the authorities seemed confused about of junior ministers. It was almost alarming. what to do next. In 1967 I had been a BBC assistant script edi- In January 1970 I visited Moscow and tor. Now I was the youngest member of the stayed three weeks in at the Metropole Hotel. government. With or without any hubris on My highest hope was to meet the man whose my part, nemesis was bound to strike.
72 The Translation of Cancer Ward
At the outset I talked to Earl Jellicoe, charged with spreading anti-socialist and Leader of the House of Lords and the person anti-Soviet propaganda. who had proposed me for the modest post, None of this seemed to cloud Heeb’s co- about my involvement in Soviet politics and operative mood. On September 9th he wrote attachment to Russian literature. I wanted to to me, „I am very grateful to you for your swift know, could this be an embarrassment? Was there anything that I ought to explain before taking up a government post? No one seemed perturbed. Like all new ministers I was inter- viewed by a MI5 officer, who told me how im- The idea that Licko portant it was not to hand in Top Secret docu- had deceived anyone ments at cloak rooms or leave them in parked seemed bizarre. cars or in restaurants. I answered his routine questions in all frankness, but nothing was asked about my eccentric literary interests. No one apparently saw any relevance in it, or and proper publication of the works. This is any problem in my taking up the appointment. why I do not want to cancel the hitherto exis- It was Mozhayev who had told me about ting arrangements ...“ On October 6th we all Dr Fritz Heeb, a Swiss lawyer who was to re- met at Bodley Head’s offices in London to ne- present Solzhenitsyn’s interests in the West. gotiate new terms. These were approved and A few weeks after my return home in early 1970 signed by all parties some days later, at which Heeb made contact with Bodley Head and, after point Bodley Head paid Heeb accumulated showing a written power of attorney, was given royalties of about £30,000. copies of all contracts and accounts, together He was about to receive a great deal more. with the promise of substantial cheques. We On October 8th, two days after our meeting cooperated with Heeb in every way. with Heeb, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for In June 1970 I called on him in his Zurich Literature. Sales of Cancer Ward soared and office and it was there that the doubts were first even The Love Girl and the Innocent, a minor cast on Ličko’s good faith. Heeb showed me play, was a smash hit at the Tyrone Guthrie a handwritten letter from Solzhenitsyn sugges- theatre by the time Dolberg and I reached ting that Ličko „shamelessly abused my trust“. Minneapolis later that week. Substantial sums This was a shock. I found it hard to believe it. from a dozen countries poured into Bodley The idea that Ličko had deceived anyone seemed Head’s coffers and into bank accounts set aside bizarre. I had letters as evidence of how deeply for the author’s benefit. This great success Solzhenitsyn had trusted him. And there was no had, of course, never been foreseen when we doubt that he had given him the Cancer Ward embarked on the translation of a little-known extract and manuscript, with orders to have it novel by an unpronounceable Soviet writer published in Czechoslovakia, after which it was three years earlier, risking a year’s work for bound to have leaked out to other countries. an uncertain reward. Our sympathies for Ličko increased when If we had not tied up the copyright in word came to me in an unsigned letter that 1968, there would have been a plethora of he had been arrested on September 1st and pirate editions of the two works in many
73 Nicholas Bethell
languages, badly translated and producing proceedings. Conflict between a minister and no payment for the author, as had happened the courts was to be avoided at all costs. Mi- with Ivan Denisovich, which was in the public nisters were therefore rarely allowed to be in- domain. In the event, no one paid Solzhenit- volved in litigation. However, Private Eye was syn on anything like the scale that we did and it was partially through our efforts, on the basis of the English version of Cancer Ward, now widely seen as his finest novel, that he Conflict between a minister was awarded the Nobel Prize. Then suddenly, at this moment of high and the courts was to be unexpected achievement, I found myself faced avoided at all costs. with an accusation which, if true, made me quite unsuitable to take part in the world of Soviet study, let alone serve as a Minister of the Crown. The abrasive columnist Auberon busy building its reputation with fierce attacks Waugh, writing in the satirical fortnightly Pri- on public figures and the prospect of linking vate Eye on September 24th, claimed that by a Conservative minister, however junior, with publishing Cancer Ward with an authorisation the Soviet intelligence service was too good to through Pavel Ličko we had made possible miss. The revelations about Kim Philby, the Solzhenitsyn’s arrest on charges of circulating KGB’s most successful double agent, who had anti-Soviet propaganda. The piece went on fled to Moscow in 1963, were fresh in people’s to suggest that both Ličko (who was by then minds. The Sunday Times had just revealed in a Slovak prison charged with anti-Soviet the full enormity of his betrayal. Private Eye’s activity) and Dolberg might be Soviet KGB people decided to continue the attack, some of agents. The implication was that the KGB had them even having convinced themselves that orchestrated the book’s publication, in order they were on the track of „the Kim Philby of to provide ground for his arrest, using Dolberg, the Heath government“. Ličko and myself as agents in the conspiracy. „Looking back over my career to date, and The article was aimed mainly at me, since at all the people I have insulted, I am mild- I was one of Edward Heath’s junior ministers ly surprised that I am still allowed to exist,“ and thereby an attractive target. Its crux lay in Waugh later wrote. (Will This Do?, London Waugh’s line, „It would be an odd paradox if Century, 1991. p.229) It was a sentiment that a Conservative minister had been unwittingly I would fully have shared if I had heard it in working for the KGB, would it not?“ September 1970. My greatest wish at that mo- My first instinct was to reach for my lawy- ment was to issue such a writ as would deprive er, but Edward Heath’s Attorney General, Peter Waugh of his beautiful Wiltshire house. (It Rawlinson, advised me that there was no need was before he moved to Somerset.) to sue. „You should disdain,“ he said. „Ignore This would have been unfair. Waugh was them and they will go away.“ Any reply by me not the main culprit. A keen observer of the would stir the pot and worsen the brew. There British political scene, he was in this case wri- was also, he reminded me, a constitutional ting of far-away matters of which he knew little. reluctance to involve ministers in any legal The instigators of the attack were not Private
74 The Translation of Cancer Ward
Eye satirists but professional rivals, „experts“ as „Sovietology“. from the Sovietology world, Kremlinologists It was an occasional Old Etonian book- on the fringes of CIA or MI6, other writers and -reviewer, John Jolliffe, a man who dabbled in journalists who specialised in Soviet issues. Soviet studies and enjoyed an ring of literary They were a far weightier crew and they were friends, who first launched the campaign by in- gripped by the paranoia of those days, the belief viting Waugh to write about it in his column. He in the all-conquering guile of the KGB, whose sought Waugh out and invited him, an innocent subversions of Philby and other men from the in such matters, as his means of enshrining his English ruling classes had rendered useless accusations in print, hoping thereby to create, great areas of the British intelligence effort. If if not a conflagration, at least enough smoke to I sued, these were the men who would appear cause confusion among people who find such as witnesses for Private Eye’s defence. things confusing. „It was widely considered I was up against an unholy alliance, that Dolberg was a suspicious character ... It which included dedicated men of the Left, was in this general context that I suggested including Paul Foot and the Irish nationalist to Auberon Waugh that Private Eye might try Gerry Lawless as well as men of the traditio- and investigate the matter,“ says Jolliffe today. nal Right, represented by Eye editor Richard A few weeks later Jolliffe took another Ingrams and Waugh himself. When Foot and step. He invited my colleague in the Whips’ Lawless wrote three whole pages of further office, Lord (Charles) Mowbray, to a lunch, attack in the October 23rd Private Eye under where he regaled the bewildered peer with the title Nicholas and Alexander, they were stories about the sinister Soviet plot in which making common cause with right-wing ex- I was involved. He suggested that Mowbray perts in Soviet studies, jealous of our coup ought to do something about this viper that in having obtained and presented such an the Government Whips were nursing in the- important book. Such deeds had until then ir bosom. After the lunch, Mowbray told me been the prerogative of the CIA and the bodies everything that Jolliffe had said. He did not of Russian émigrés in Munich and Frankfurt understand much about what he had heard, he that they sponsored. confessed to me, but it sounded like the sort of There was Leo Labedz, editor of a CIA- thing in which he ought not to get involved. He -funded quarterly about the Soviet bloc, Sur- was not going to conspire against a colleague. vey. Another was Peter Reddaway, a junior Private Eye never contacted me to check lecturer at the London School of Economics, any allegation. They just printed them as the a former friend of mine, a pupil of Leonard Sovietologists gave them out, at regular inter- Schapiro and a young man of Christian fun- vals during the second half of 1970, inviting damentalist conviction. These were scholars my friends and former friends to their famous of a special kind, politically and emotionally Soho lunches in the hope that they too might motivated to fight the Kremlin adversary as be sources of damaging ammunition and, if ne- they saw fit and ready to use tough methods, cessary, evidence. The diarist Nigel Dempster whenever they thought it appropriate, aga- was one such contributor. Another was my old inst those with whom they disagreed. They friend from Harrow days Robin Butler, then were the moving force, feeding Private Eye as now a high-flying civil servant, a private with items from the strange science known secretary in Heath’s office. They were being
75 Nicholas Bethell
lunched in the hope of acquiring more darts annoying for my Government sponsors and that could be used against the target of the superiors, especially George Jellicoe, who moment. „Anyone got any dirt on Bethell?“ was beginning to get nervous. His protégé Ingrams would ask, as he poured the wine was in difficulty, which was a reflection on and turned on the tape recorder. As it turned his judgement – and not for the first time. out, though, most of the chosen informants While serving as a diplomat in Washington (including Butler) were loyal to me rather in 1950-51, he had been friends with the than to Private Eye. They reported to me what notorious Philby. He had trusted him and Ingrams and the others had said. But it was been outraged when Philby was recalled to then embarrassing for all of us when I found London for interrogation in 1951 after the myself compelled, since justice was the only defection of Guy Burgess and Donald Macle- thing that could save me from professional an to Moscow in May of that year. Jellicoe oblivion, to ask them to repeat in court what took the view, in all innocence, that Phil- they had told me in confidence. by was yet another victim of Senator Joe Every two or three weeks another stone McCarthy, whose campaign of spy-mania was thrown. It was no longer a question of and paranoia in Washington was then in one article in a scurrilous magazine. It was full flood. Though entirely without blame, a campaign. People were saying that there is Jellicoe was seen as guilty by association no smoke without fire and Waugh described and his career had suffered. me as „an absurd and revolting young man“ And now, in 1970, he was again being as- who was selfishly resisting pressure to leave ked awkward questions. Why did you make his government job. („Oh dear! Did I really Lord Bethell a minister? By what strange write that?“ says Waugh today.) route does a British hereditary peer, a Lord- The fact that I was under orders as a mi- -in-Waiting to the Queen, find himself in the nister not to take legal action added fuel to the weird world of East-West conflict, Soviet po- flames. I came to realise that the law of libel litics and modern Russian literature? Why is an unwieldy weapon, one that can ruin the is Private Eye accusing him of links with the person who uses it as easily as the person being KGB? My enthusiasm for Kremlinological sued. I was told that I had a good case, but that books was too unusual a hobby for some sim- there is no such thing as an open-and-shut ple Conservatives to accept as credible. case and that, if I was to proceed, I must be By the end of 1970 Rawlinson’s original prepared to answer questions in public about advice became unsustainable. I could no longer every aspect of my work in the field of Soviet treat these repeated allegations with contempt studies, including how I acquired Cancer Ward and inaction. It had reached the stage where, and arranged its publication. I had nothing to by not suing, I was giving the allegations cre- hide myself, but Solzhenitsyn was in the Soviet dence and they were spreading to American Union under siege and threat of arrest, and journals. On December 28th an article in Time Ličko was in a Bratislava jail. I did not want magazine by Patricia Blake, another devout to find myself compelled to answer questions Sovietologist, spelt the allegation out in the under oath in a way that might complicate clearest possible terms. It claimed that Ličko their already difficult lives. was „a long-time Soviet intelligence officer“ Finally it all became too confusing and and „the key figure in this elaborate plot“ to
76 The Translation of Cancer Ward
bring about Solzhenitsyn’s arrest. my duty towards more important colleagu- She even quoted Solzhenitsyn as denying es, towards the Government as a whole and that he had ever given Ličko any manuscript towards my country. I remember Jellicoe’s in the first place – a claim whose absurdity words: „You must now defend yourself. But you emerges from the writer’s own letters. It qu- oted Leo Labedz’s prediction that the KGB might sacrifice an agent (Ličko) to obtain ammunition against Solzhenitsyn, and the „You were being attacked on writer Robert Conquest was quoted as saying security grounds. Of course you that Solzhenitsyn’s „likely“ arrest would mark had no alternative but to resign „a war to the death against all opposition in Russia“. By contrast, Amnesty International and sue.“ adopted Ličko as a prisoner of conscience, since he was in prison awaiting trial, suffering for his convictions. cannot do that from the dispatch box.“ He ex- I did not feel compelled to resign. My plained that I had no alternative but to „do the conscience was clear and more senior minis- decent thing“, resign from the Government, ters were being attacked by Private Eye with take the matter to court and clear my name equal ferocity, Reginald Maudling (with jus- (E. Standard, Feb 3rd, 1993). Jellicoe also gave tification) for dishonesty, Jellicoe (with some me to understand that, provided that I did this justification) for drunkenness, Heath himself and won the case, I would then be reappointed. (without justification) for his effete manner. If There were precedents for such a procedure, every minister being attacked by Private Eye he said. It was in my own interest as well as the were to resign, it would have been impossible Government’s that I should „bite the bullet“ to form a government. However, in the Prime and take this line of action. As things were, Minister’s eyes I was a special case. my usefulness as a minister was non-existent. „You were being attacked on security He promised to make things as easy as grounds. Of course you had no alternative but possible. He would explain to colleagues that to resign and sue,“ Heath told me in 1990. My my reputation was unimpaired, that I had re- reply was that I did not agree, since there was signed not under a cloud, but because of a legal no basis for the allegation of KGB involvement. technicality. And, as a sign of his personal con- I had already, at Jellicoe’s request, shown fidence visible for all to see, he assured me, he all my papers on the matter to the Foreign would soon give a small „farewell“ reception or Office’s senior expert in Soviet matters, Tho- lunch in the House of Lords. And then, when mas Brimelow. He had in no way queried my I had won my legal case, I would be reinstated version of events. There was no need the take as a minister. There would then be a chance of the issue to court. Indeed, it would be highly my being promoted, whereas now there was undesirable to do so, since men living under none. This was the custom, he said. I believed Soviet control might be put at risk. him and resigned from the Government on In December 1970 Heath informed me, January 5th, 1971. through Jellicoe, that the affair was now an The months that followed were not easy. embarrassment and that I should think of It would have helped if Jellicoe had done what
77 Nicholas Bethell
he told me he would and given me my „leaving allegedly wronged. The campaign against party“. It would have been a sign of his sup- Solzhenitsyn intensified and he faced it with port. It turned out inconvenient for him to great courage. For instance, on August 12th, do so. My friend Earl (Grey) Gowrie arranged 1971, KGB men burgled his dacha outside for me to meet Richard Ingrams for lunch at Moscow and beat up his friend Alexander his flat in Covent Garden. Gowrie’s excellent Gorlov who happened to find them at their champagne tasted sour as Ingrams and I sat work. The following day he wrote an open awkwardly together in Gowrie’s living room, letter to KGB Chairman Yuri Andropov: eyeing each other suspiciously while trying „For many years I have borne in silence the to find a peaceful way out of the conflict. Any- lawlessness of your employees, the inspec- way, we failed and as a result I spent early 1971 tion of all my correspondence, the confisca- preparing to take Private Eye to court. A full- tion of half of it, the tracking down of my -blown action, I was told by my barrister, Leon correspondents, their persecution at work Brittan, could last three years and would ine- and by state agencies, the spying around my vitably be a terrifying ordeal, even if I won. If house, the shadowing of visitors, the tapping I lost – and in libel actions one can never be of telephone conversations, the drilling of entirely sure – it might cost every penny that holes in ceilings, the placing of recording I owned. There is no legal aid for libel. apparatus in my city apartment and at my I also needed to know Solzhenitsyn’s views cottage, and a persistent slander campaign before proceeding. My Soviet visa was delayed against me from the platforms of lecture and it was only in July 1971 that I could get to halls, when they are put at the disposal of Moscow. (It was my last visit to the Soviet bloc officials from your ministry. But after the raid for more than 15 years.) I met Solzhenitsyn’s yesterday I will no longer be silent ...“ (p. 497) sister-in-law, Veronika Turkina, and gave her News of Solzhenitsyn’s problems helped some papers, which she passed to him. She me to keep my own in proportion, but it was came back to me with the message that I had not an easy path to tread. I was out of my depth, his sympathy in the matter. Thus reassured, being tossed about by the great interests of the superpowers. Meanwhile my former col- leagues in Government were bewildered and vaguely suspicious about why I had departed She came back to me with the from the scene so suddenly, with the naive excuse that I was „returning to my work as message that I had his sympathy a writer“, in the face of strange accusations in the matter. in a satirical magazine, with no excuse or ex- planation provided by any senior minister. Meanwhile the Soviet side were being equally suspicious and hostile. I made plans I returned to London ready for legal action. to go to Bratislava and visit Pavel Ličko’s fa- Writs were prepared and served on Private mily. Ličko was in an unenviable position. The Eye as well as on Auberon Waugh personally. tough Kremlinologists were accusing him of I knew well that my personal difficulties being a KGB agent, while in fact he was ser- were small compared to those of the man I had ving 18 months in prison for „anti-socialism“.
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But on September 23rd, 1971, a telegram from „leadership“. The slightest approach on my the Czech embassy told me that my visa was part would have been seen in Bratislava as an cancelled. They even returned my £1.20 fee attempt to revive our „ring of spies“. And so with an apology for the inconvenience. for years he lived a life of poverty, abandoned In January 1972 I applied again, but this by many of his friends, though his wife Marta time the answer came in a different form. On and children continued to support him. February 7th I returned home from dinner to I was under attack on the same two fronts, find friends and journalists telephoning with as a result of which my usefulness, whether as the strange news that Slovak television had writer or as supporter of Heath’s government, just shown a 25-minute film called „Who is was small. After such an outburst on an official Lord Nicholas Bethell?“. Using letters, papers communist television station, the likelihood and tapes confiscated from Ličko’s apartment, was that I would never again be allowed to the film explained that Ličko had acted as my visit a Soviet bloc country in search of jour- „henchman“ in an anti-socialist and anti-So- nalistic information. This was a pity, though viet campaign. The narrator quoted my letters not a tragedy, and I did not feel inclined to asking for biographical information about complain. Visa refusal was something that Gustav Husák and the other anti-reformist had to be faced by any writer about Soviet leaders. These journalistic inquiries were pre- matters, unless he was willing to curb his pen sented as proof of the attachment to MI6. It in his own and the Kremlin’s interest. I was assured the viewers of Slovakia: „Lord Bethell not prepared to curb my pen in this way. is not a figure we have invented for our story. But my problems at home were funda- He is alive and well, and he works against us mental. If I lost the case, I could be ruined fi- continually together with employees of the nancially and professionally, and in the worst British secret service.“ instance the evidence presented in the English It was a sad state to be in, accused by both court could be used to embarrass Solzhenitsyn. sides of working for the secret intelligence of And I would be held responsible. I was for- the other. But Ličko’s situation was far worse. ced to bear in mind the fact that I was a mere A few days earlier he had completed his term foot soldier caught up in what was more than in prison. He was back at his home on Vlčková a „great game“. It was a cruel battle and I was Street, Bratislava. The television programme being fired upon by very big guns on both sides. now made him a pariah. He was being attacked Still, I fought my corner as best I could. in Slovakia for being a British agent, just as he The facts in Private Eye’s main document of was attacked in Time magazine for being a So- defence, largely provided by Peter Reddaway, viet agent. At home he was publicly branded were discredited and after some negotiation as an anti-socialist traitor and he could not be in June 1972 Private Eye admitted in open employed. Prison had worsened his chronic court that their charges were „wholly without bronchitis. And in these strange circumstan- foundation“. They also apologised to Dolberg, ces I could not even send him a postcard, or paying both of us damages of £1,000 each and telephone him with a word of sympathy. Any costs in full. Peter Rawlinson wrote, „I cer- help I might offer would have made matters tainly feel that the wording (of the apology) worse for him. In the Slovak secret police’s is categorical and sufficiently purges the li- view he had worked for the West under my bel. I well appreciate what you have had to
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go through over this matter ...“ He was not going to take a risk over a very junior Ličko, contrary to the predictions of Pri- appointment by employing someone who had vate Eye and Time, was never brought under recently emerged from the libel courts, wha- KGB control. He never gave evidence or any tever the rights of the matter and whatever statement against Solzhenitsyn, although promises might have been made. (I later discovered) he was pressed to do so It was nevertheless the understanding, the in prison by Soviet as well as by Czechoslo- custom, that any minister who resigned because vak secret policemen. Bravely, he told them of a legal problem ought to be reinstated as soon nothing that they were anxious to know. At as the problem was satisfactorily removed. When that time the authorities, it turns out, were it became clear that I was not being reinstated, actually thinking of printing Cancer Ward questions were asked in some Government themselves, as a way of opening negotiations circles. Several Government colleagues, for in- with their turbulent writer. In short, the who- stance „Grey“ Gowrie and „Bertie“ Denham, le conspiracy theory centred on Ličko, Dol- lobbied on my behalf. And it was mainly in or- berg and Cancer Ward, as suggested by the der to answer these questions that towards the Sovietologists and passed on by John Jolliffe end of 1972, when Britain was about to join the to Auberon Waugh and others, turned out to European Economic Community, I was asked be a figment of their imagination. by Earl St. Aldwyn, Chief Whip in the House of I take comfort in the fact that the „Bethell Lords, whether I would like to be one of Britain’s v. Waugh“ case, which consumed large quan- first members of the European Parliament. Six tities of Private Eye’s time and thousands of Conservative Peers were to be nominated, I was their pounds, is not once referred to in Patrick told, and my name would be sent forward. Marnham’s history of the magazine. (Patrick I remember the telephone ringing at home Marnham: The Private Eye Story: The First just before midnight on December 30th, 1972. 21 Years, London, Deutsch. 1982). It was St. Aldwyn, friendly but embarrassed. It Nor does Waugh so much as mention the had not been found possible after all, he said, matter in his memoirs, which contain a sub- to include me in the EP list. This was a further stantial section on other won and lost libel disaster. The EP appointment was important cases. I can only conclude that Private Eye to me not for its own sake, but as a sign of re- feel shy of mentioning it. „It was not a libel habilitation, a symbol of the government’s con- action of which we were particularly proud,“ fidence. By first offering me the job and then Waugh confirmed in November 1993, after cancelling it, the Government were showing expressing regret for what he had written 23 those in the know that the murk surrounding years earlier. I pocketed my damages and went my case had still not been dispelled. home from court, waiting for the telephone All this time I feared the consequence of call that would offer me my Government job making a nuisance of myself. So I waited a year back, as I had been assured. It never came. and then, on February 6th, 1974, I went to St. Prime ministers, I suppose, like to avoid the Aldwyn to seek his advice. It was at that meeting shadow of bad news. They have problems of that he confirmed to me something that my their own, too many problems, and they see friends and I had always suspected, and which no reason to add to them. Edward Heath was had long been rumoured, that MI5 and MI6 worried about pay policy and striking miners. had advised Heath against offering me even the
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most lowly government post. He told me how Parliament occurred. Once again my name sorry he was to have raised my hopes over the was put forward by Peter Kirk, the leader of Strasbourg appointment in late 1972 and he our MEPs, and this time the new Conservative explained, „Ted (Heath) won’t have you in the leader did not veto it. I was allowed to take up team. We sent your name in for Europe, but the modest Strasbourg post. Ted crossed it off. MI5 and MI6 have advised From that moment on, the secret services him against you.“ caused me no trouble and I had no complaint A few days later Heath was no longer against them. I lost my ambition for ministe- Prime Minister, so I felt able to write to him rial office, but I was happy in Strasbourg and on April 25th to point out that in spite of my Brussels, especially after I was elected to serve victory in the libel action the problem still se- there in June 1979. Still, for many years it ir- emed to be unresolved. I asked him if he would ritated me that such muddle and evasion had see me. His reply was two dismissive letters, surrounded the appointment and dismissal of dated May 1Oth and June 4th, not answering a British minister, and that no one was prepa- my request for a meeting and suggesting that red to discuss it with me, even long after the I had misinterpreted what St. Aldwyn told event. It was indeed a murky business, of no me. His second letter ended, „I hope we can great concern to the British people as a whole now consider this matter closed.“ He was not or to my day-to-day well-being, but lurking like prepared to give his former junior employee a shadow at the back of my mind. even a minute of his time. He was busy and it Twenty years passed and finally, in 1990, was all just too embarrassing. I wrote to Edward Heath, reminding him of Of course I could not consider it closed. what had happened in 1970 and asking him to The libel had apparently still not been pur- see me. He agreed, even offering to go to the ged, at least not in the eyes of the secret ser- Cabinet Office to consult his government’s vices or of the leader of my party. There was papers and refresh his memory about my case. at that time no means of raising a grievance I made an appointment and arrived with my against MI5 or MI6, as there is now. I had dossier at his Belgravia home on September appealed to the highest political level, but 27th. I waited for him, but he did not keep the leaders of my party, Heath and Jellicoe, the appointment. would do nothing to help. Their answer was to A few days later (October 2nd) he wrote to suggest that no problem existed. I could only me, „I have nothing further to add to what I have sit tight and wait for a change. And changes already told you. Nor am I prepared to contri- had not been long in coming. In 1973 Jellicoe bute information from confidential documents had to resign his Cabinet post as Lord Privy to your autobiography. And, having read your Seal because of his involvement with a call letter of 10 September, I completely repudiate girl called Norma. Then Heath was thrown your allegations of muddle, yet (sic) alone of ‚a out by the electorate as prime minister, and murky business’. Nor were any ‚undertakings’ by his MPs as leader of the party, in February of ‚favourable consideration’ for a future appo- 1974 and February 1975 respectively. intment given to you. If you wish to influence Margaret Thatcher took over from him future appointments in government, you had as Conservative Party leader in March 1975. better speak to future prime ministers.“ A few days later a vacancy in the European
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