ABSTRACT: In a previous article published on the "Corriere della Sera", Leonardo Sciascia had spoken in ironic terms about a statement by Giancarlo Pajetta (1) on the Donat Cattin case (2), quoted on the weekly "Panorama": "The revenge of Donat Cattin will prove useless against us"..."Those who are against Scalfari (3), Andreotti (4) or myself always come to a bad end". Sciascia had expressed his concern about the ominous powers of this "trimurti", with which he had more than once polemized. Sciascia answers Scalfari's reply with this article, in which he says that Scalfari "is completely mislead. To such an extent as to believe I am no longer popular among the young, and that, as a radical deputy, I let Pannella and Aglietta put a bridle on me. Scalfari still hasn't understood there there is no such thing as a bridle for the radicals."
(Corriere della Sera, 4 July 1980)
On "La Repubblica" of 2nd June, Scalfari answers my comment of 27th May on the "Corriere". He wanted to be light and amused: but he didn't manage. Whereas Forattini (5) did, in the cartoon accompanying his reply.
Scalfari is a Maupassant-like character: rather heavy, in spite of his appearance. It's up to the readers to guess which of Maupassant's characters he most resembles.
Lightness, subtlety and irony are not among his talents. Clarity undeniably is: especially when he explains things he hasn't understood. I also think he has the defect of getting angry quite easily, of flying into a passion: a thing which harms meditation and hinders that detachment which alone generates irony. He should take lessons from Pajetta, as far as witticism is concerned. Pajetta who, Scalfari says, speaking about that comment of mine, got off cheaply, saying that with that sentence on "Panorama" he hoped I would have written an article. I had no idea that I was so present in Pajetta's thoughts, to the point that he ignored the concern he could have caused to so many Italians for the sole purpose of letting me write an article; nonetheless I am grateful to him. And I even hope he will continue thinking about me, so that I might rekindle that ironic vein which in Scalfari's opinion is exhausted.
Scalfari has been concerned about me from the moment I wrote "The Moro case". Or rather, he was concerned even before I even published it. What can I do to reassure him? I could invite him to read "The Moro case", but I think this would offend him: he judged it even before reading it, and the sharpest and firmest judgements are always prejudices. I'll try writing other books: but I fear he won't like them. At this point, none of the things I write or do can please him. He says he liked the comment published last Friday on the "Corriere", the one that inspired the article I'm talking about. But I don't believe him. He says: "A good article, after many other fiascoes". Many others! I think I've written five or six articles at the most in two years time. I believe I can say that Scalfari is really mislead. So much as to say I have lost popularity among the young, and that, as a radical deputy, I let Pannella and Aglietta put a bridle on me. He still hasn't understood that there is no such thing as a bridle for
the radicals.
As far as my being too kind on the Christian Democrats in the premise, I believe he refers to some statements I made on the Donat Cattin case: I would have done the same had it been a fascist. Scalfari is obviously not interested in the problem of justice. What he is interested in is the premise: and in seeing that the person who wrote it be adequately punished.
Therefore I do not believe him when he says - on behalf of Andreotti and Pajetta as well - that I have been forgiven. I will cut his article out and carry it in my pocket, as a safe-conduct: but I will continue hoping that the time will never come in which I will need to show it as a safe-guard. Says Scalfari: "We like you, deep down".
Very very deep down, I fear.
P.S. Scalfari says that one of the trimurti has always been against the historical compromise (6). I can't imagine which one. Perhaps there is a fourth person. After all, even the three musketeers were four.
Translator's notes
(1) Giancarlo Pajetta (1911-1990): Politician, top exponent of the Italian Communist Party, one of the main leaders of the Resistance.
(2) Carlo Donat Cattin (1919): Christian democrat deputy.
(3) Eugenio Scalfari (1924): journalist, former editor of "L'Espresso" (1966-68), founder and editor of "La Repubblica".
(4) Giulio Andreotti (1919): exponent of the Christian Democrat Party. Minister of Interior (1954), Finance (1955-58), Treasury (1958-59), Defence (1959-66 and 1974), Industry (1966-68), Balance (1974-76). Premier from 1972 to 1973, from 1976 to 1979, and currently.
(5) Giorgio Forattini: cartoonist for "La Repubblica".
(6) Historical compromise: a political strategy outlined by Enrico Berlinguer in 1973, based on a cooperation between Communists and Christian Democrats.
