第1章(2/7)
TwichellwasamanofaboutMark’sownage，aprofoundscholar，adevoutChristian，\"yetamanwithanexuberantsenseofhumor，andaprofoundunderstandingofthefrailtiesofmankind。\"TheRev。Mr。TwichellperformedthemarriageceremonyforMarkTwainandsolemnizedthebirthsofhischildren；\"Joe，\"hisfriend，counseledhimonliteraryaswellaspersonalmattersfortheremainderofMark’slife。Itisimportanttocatchthisbriefglimpseofthemanforwhomthismasterpiecewaswritten，forwithoutitonecannotfullyunderstandthespiritinwhich1601waswritten，orthekeenenjoymentwhichMarkand\"Joe\"derivedfromit。
\"SAVEMEONE。\"
Thestoryofthefirstissueof1601isoneoffinesse，statediplomacy，andsurreptitiousprinting。
TheRev。\"Joe\"Twichell，forwhosedelectationthepiecehadbeenwritten，apparentlyhadpocketedthedocumentforfourlongyears。Then，in1880，itcameintothehandsofJohnHay，laterSecretaryofState，presumablysenttohimbyMarkTwain。Haypronouncedthesketchamasterpiece，andwroteimmediatelytohisoldClevelandfriend，AlexanderGunn，princeofconnoisseursinartandliterature。ThefollowingcorrespondencerevealsthefinediplomacywhichmadethenameofJohnHayknownthroughouttheworld。
DEPARTMENTOFSTATE
WashingtonJune21，1880。
DearGunn：
AreyouinClevelandforallthisweek？Ifyouwillsayyesbyreturnmail，Ihaveamasterpiecetosubmittoyourconsiderationwhichisonlyinmyhandsforafewdays。
Yours，verymuchworrittedbythedepravityofChristendom，HayThesecondletterdisclosesHay’sownhighopinionoftheeffortandhisdeepconcernforitssafety。
June24，1880
MydearGunn：
Hereitis。ItwaswrittenbyMarkTwaininaseriousefforttobringbackourliteratureandphilosophytothesoberandchasteElizabethanstandard。Butthetasteofthepresentdayistoocorruptforanythingsoclassic。Hehasnotyetbeenableeventofindapublisher。TheGlobehasnotyetrecoveredfromDowney’sinroad，andtheywon’ttouchit。
Isendittoyouasoneofthefewlingeringrelicsofthatraceofappreciativecritics，whoknowagoodthingwhentheyseeit。
Readitwithreverenceandgratitudeandsenditbacktome；forMarkisimpatienttoseeoncemorehiswanderingoffspring。
Yours，Hay。
InhisthirdletteronecanalmosthearHay’schuckleinthecertaintythathisdiplomatic，ifsomewhatwicked，suggestionwouldbearfruit。
Washington，D。C。
July7，1880
MydearGunn：
Ihaveyourletter，andthepropositionwhichyoumaketopullafewproofsofthemasterpieceishighlyattractive，andofcoursehighlyimmoral。Icannotproperlyconsenttoit，andIamafraidthegreatmanywouldthinkIwastakinganunfairadvantageofhisconfidence。Pleasesendbackthedocumentassoonasyoucan，andif，inspiteofmyprohibition，youtaketheseproofs，savemeone。
Verytrulyyours，JohnHay。
\"SAVEMEONE。\"
Thestoryofthefirstissueof1601isoneoffinesse，statediplomacy，andsurreptitiousprinting。
TheRev。\"Joe\"Twichell，forwhosedelectationthepiecehadbeenwritten，apparentlyhadpocketedthedocumentforfourlongyears。Then，in1880，itcameintothehandsofJohnHay，laterSecretaryofState，presumablysenttohimbyMarkTwain。Haypronouncedthesketchamasterpiece，andwroteimmediatelytohisoldClevelandfriend，AlexanderGunn，princeofconnoisseursinartandliterature。ThefollowingcorrespondencerevealsthefinediplomacywhichmadethenameofJohnHayknownthroughouttheworld。
DEPARTMENTOFSTATE
WashingtonJune21，1880。
DearGunn：
AreyouinClevelandforallthisweek？Ifyouwillsayyesbyreturnmail，Ihaveamasterpiecetosubmittoyourconsiderationwhichisonlyinmyhandsforafewdays。
Yours，verymuchworrittedbythedepravityofChristendom，HayThesecondletterdisclosesHay’sownhighopinionoftheeffortandhisdeepconcernforitssafety。
June24，1880
MydearGunn：
Hereitis。ItwaswrittenbyMarkTwaininaseriousefforttobringbackourliteratureandphilosophytothesoberandchasteElizabethanstandard。Butthetasteofthepresentdayistoocorruptforanythingsoclassic。Hehasnotyetbeenableeventofindapublisher。TheGlobehasnotyetrecoveredfromDowney’sinroad，andtheywon’ttouchit。
Isendittoyouasoneofthefewlingeringrelicsofthatraceofappreciativecritics，whoknowagoodthingwhentheyseeit。
Readitwithreverenceandgratitudeandsenditbacktome；forMarkisimpatienttoseeoncemorehiswanderingoffspring。
Yours，Hay。
InhisthirdletteronecanalmosthearHay’schuckleinthecertaintythathisdiplomatic，ifsomewhatwicked，suggestionwouldbearfruit。
Washington，D。C。
July7，1880
MydearGunn：
Ihaveyourletter，andthepropositionwhichyoumaketopullafewproofsofthemasterpieceishighlyattractive，andofcoursehighlyimmoral。Icannotproperlyconsenttoit，andIamafraidthegreatmanywouldthinkIwastakinganunfairadvantageofhisconfidence。Pleasesendbackthedocumentassoonasyoucan，andif，inspiteofmyprohibition，youtaketheseproofs，savemeone。
Verytrulyyours，JohnHay。