第1章 The Last Leaf（第2页）

"I'dratherbeherebyyou，"saidSue。"Beside，Idon'twantyoutokeeplookingatthosesillyivyleaves。"

"Tellmeassoonasyouhavefi;saidJohnsy，ghereyes，andlyiillasfalle;becauseIwaonefall。I'mtiredofwaiting。I'mtiredofthinking。Iwanttoturnloosemyhold，andgosailingdown，down，justlikeohosepoor，tiredleaves。"

"Trytosleep，"saidSue。"ImustcallBehrmanuptobemymodelfortheoldhermitminer。I'llnotbegoe。Don'ttrytomove'tilIeback。"

OldBehrmanainterwholivedonthegroundfloorbehem。HeastsixtyandhadaMigelo'sMdownfromtheheadthebodyofanimp。Behrmanwasafailureinart。FortyyearshehadwieldedthebrushwithoutgettiotouchthehemofhisMistress'srobe。Hehadbeenalaintamasterpiece，buthadbegunit。Forseveralyearshehadpaihinowandthenadaubinthelineoferce。Heearlebyservingasamodeltothoseyoungartistsintheywhootpaythepriceofaprofessiiilltalkedofhisasterpiece。Fortheresthewasafiercelittleoldman，whoscoffedterriblyatsoftnessinanyone，andwhardedhimselfasespecialmastiff-in-waitingtoprotectthetwoyoungartistsiudioabove。

SuefoundBehrmaronglyofjuniperberriesinhisdimlylighteddenbelow。InoneerwasablankahadbeenwaitiweoreceivethefirstlierpieofJohnsy'sfandhowshefearedshewould，iandfragileasaleafherself，floataway，wheholdupre>

OldBehrman，withhisredeyesplainlystreaming，shoutedhisptandderisionforsuaginings。

"Vass!"hecried。"Isderepeopleindeworldmitderfoolishodiebecauseleafsdeydropofffromadedvine?Ihafnotheardofsug。No，Iwillnotboseasamodelforyourfoolhermit-dunderhead。VydoyouallowdotsillypusioeinderbraipoorleetleMissYohnsy。"

"Sheisveryilla;saidSue，"andthefeverhaslefthermindmorbidandfullefancies。Verywell，Mr。Behrman，ifyoudooposeforme，youneedn't。ButIthinkyouareahorridold-oldflibbertigibbet。"

"Youarejustlikeawoman!"yelledBehrman。"WhosaidIwillnotbose?Gooyou。ForhalfanhourIhafpeentryingtosaydotIamreadytobose。Gott!DisisnotanyblawhiesogootasMissYohnsyshallliesiedayIvillbaintamasterpiedveshallallgoaway。Gott!Yes。"

Johnsyiheyulledtheshadedowntothewindow-sill，andmotiootheotherroom。Iheypeeredoutthewindowfearfullyattheivyviheylookedateachotherforamomentwithoutspeaki，wasfallihsnow。Behrman，inhisoldblueshirt，tookhisseatasthehermitmineronaleforarock。

WhenSueawokefromanhour'ssleepthemshefoundJohnsywithdull，wide-opearingatthedrawngreenshade。

"Pullitup;Iwa;sheordered，inawhisper。

WearilySueobeyed。

But，look!Afterthebeatingraisofwindthathadehroughthelivelongoodoutagainstthebrieivyleaf。Itwasthelastoilldarkgreeem，butwithitsserratededgestiheyellowofdissolutiohungbravelyfromabrayfeetabovetheground。

"Itisthelasto;saidJohnsy。"Ithoughtitwouldsurelyfallduri。Iheardthewind。Itwillfalltoday，andIshalldieatthesametime。"

"Dear，dear!"saidSue，leaningherworothepillow，"thinkofme，ifyouos;tthinkofyourself。WhatwouldIdo?"

ButJohnsydidhelohinginalltheworldisasoulwhenitismakiogoonitsmysterious，farjourhefaopossesshermlyasoiesthatbouofriendshipahwereloosed。

Thedayworeaway，ahroughthetwilighttheycouldseetheloneivyleafgtoitsstemagainstthewall。Aheihenorthwindwasagaiheraiagainsttheattereddowcheaves。

&waslightenoughJohnsy，themeraheshadeberaised。Theivyleafwasstillthere。

Johnsylayftimelookingatit。AndtheoSue，whherbrasstove。

"I'vebeenabadgirl，Sudie，"saidJohnsy。"Somethinghasmadethatlastleafstaytheretoshoas。Itisasintowanttodie。Ymealittlebrothnow，ahalittleportinit，and-nmeahand-mirrorfirst，andthenpaepillowsaboutme，andIwillsitupandwatchyoucook。"

Andhourlatershesaid:

"Sudie，somedayIhopetopainttheBayof;

&ortheafternoon，andSuehadaogointothehallwayasheleft。

"Eve;saidthedSue'sthin，shakinghandinhis。"Withgyou'llwin。"AndnowImustseeanothercaseIhavedownstairs。Behrman，hisnameis-somekindofanartist，Ibelieve。Poo。Heisanold，weakmaackisacute。Thereisnohopeforhim;buthegoestothehospitaltodaytobemademorefortable。"

&daythedoctorsaidtoSue，"She'soutofdanger。You'vewon。Nutritio'sall。"

AndthatafterothebedwhereJohnsylay，tedlyknittingaveryblueandveryuselesswoollenshouldersdputonearmaroundher，pillo>

"Ihavesomethingtotellyou，whitemouse，"shesaid。"Mr。Behrmandiedofpodayial。Hewasillonlytwodays。Thejanitorfoundhimofthefirstdayinhisroomdolesswithpain。Hisshoesandgwerewetthroughandicycold。Theyp;apos;timaginewherehehadbeenonsuchadreadfulnight。Aheyfouilllighted，ahadbeesplaescatteredbrushes，ahgreenandyellowixedonit，and-lookoutthewihelastivyleafonthewall。Didn'tyouwoeredormoved?Ah，darling，it'sBehrman'smasterpietedittherethenightthatthelastleaffell。"