第1章 The Last Leaf（第1页）

第1章TheLastLeaf

O。Henry

IwestofWashingtoreetshaverundbrokeosmallstripscalled"places"。These"plaakestrangeanglesareetcrossesitselfatimeortwo。Anartistoncediscoveredavaluablepossibilityinthisstreet。Supposeacollectorwithabillforpaints，paperandvasshthisroute，suddehimselfingback，withoutagbeenpaidonat!

So，toquaintoldGreenwichVillagetheartpeopleso，huntingfornorthwindowsaurygablesandDutchattidlowreheyimportedssandagdishortwofromSixthAvenue，a;y"。

Atthetopofasquatty，three-storybridJohnsyhadtheirstudio。"Johnsy"wasfamiliarforJoanna。OnewasfromMaiherfromia。Theyhadmetatthetabled'hoteofareet"Delmonip;apos;s"，andfouesinart，chicorysaladandbishopsleevessoialthatthejointstudioresulted。

ThatwasinMay。InNovemberaseehedoctorseumohey，touehereahhisigers。Overosidethisravagerstrodeboldly，smitinghisvictimsbyscores，buthisfeettrodslhthemazeofthenarrowandmoss-grown"places"。

Mr。Pneumoniaouldcallachivalritlematlewomanwithbloodthinnedbyiazephyrswashardlyfairgameforthered-fisted，short-breathedoldduffer。ButJohe;andshelay，scarg，oediroead，lhthesmallDutdow-paheblahebrickhouse。

thebusydovitedSueintothehallwaywithashaggy，grayeyebrow。

"Shehasoussay，ten，"hesaid，asheshookdownthemerhisieter。"Andthatceisforhertowahislehaveoflining-upoheuheentirepharmacopoeialooksilly。Yourlittleladyhasmadeuphermindthatshe'snotgoiwell。Hassheanythingonhermind?"

"She-sheainttheBayofNaplessomeday。"saidSue。

"Paint?-bosh!Hassheanythingonhermindworththinkingabluttwifori;

"Aman?"saidSue，;apinhervoianworth-but，no，doctor;thereisnothingofthekind。"

"Well，itistheweak;saidthedoctor。"Iwilldoallthatsce，sofarasitmayfilterthroughmyefforts，plish。ButwheieotthecarriagesinherfuneralproIsubtract50perthecurativepowerofmedies。IfyouwillgethertoaskoionabouttheylesincloaksleevesIwillpromiseyouaone-in-fiveceforher，insteadofo;

&hedoheworkroomandcriedaJapaoapulp。ThensheswaggeredintoJohnsy'sroomwithherdrawingboard，whistlingragtime。

Johnsylay，scargarippleuhes，withherfaceto。Suestoppedwhistling，thinkingshe>

Shearrangedherbanapen-and-inkdrawingtaziartistsmustpavetheirwaytoArtbydrawingpiagaziyoungauthorswritetopavetheirwaytoLiterature。

AsSuewassketgapairofeleganthtrousersandamohefigureofthehero，anIdahocowboy，sheheardalowsouimesrepeated。Shewentquicklytothebedside。

Johnsy'seyeswereopenwide。Shewaslookingoutthewindowandg-gback>

"Twelve，"shesaid，aer"eleven";aen，"and";;a;eight"a;，almosttogether。

Suelooksolicitouslyoutoftheastheretot?Therewasonlyabare，drearyyardtobeseen，andtheblahebrickhousetweaway。Anold，oldivyvine，gnarledaheroots，climbedhalfthebrickwall。Thecoldbreathofautumnhadstriitsleavesfromthevisskeletonbrang，almostbare，tbricks。

"Whatisit，dear?"askedSue。

"Six，"saidJohnsy，inalmostawhisper。"They&apfasternow。Threedaysagotherewerealmostahumademyheada。Butnoos;seasy。Theregoesahereareonow。"

"Fivewhat，dear?TellyourSudie。"

"Leaves。OntheivyvihelastonefallsImustgo，too。I'veknownthatforthreedays。Didn'tthedoctortellyou?"

"Oh，Ineverheardofsuse，"plaihmags。"Whathaveoldivyleavestodowithywell?Aolovethatvineso，younaughtygirl。Don'tbeagoosey。Why，thedoethismthatyourcesfwellrealsoo'sseeexactlywhathesaid-hesaidtheceswerete'salmostasgoodaceaswehaveinNeerideocarsorastanewbuilding。TrytotakesomebrothSudiegobackt，sosheselltheeditormanortwineforhersickdporkchreedyself。"

"Youneedn'tgetanymorewi;saidJohnsy，keepinghereyesfixedoutthewindow。&quoesanother。No，Idon'twantanybroth。Thatleavesjustfour。Iwaogetsdark。ThenI'llgo，too。"

"Joh;saidSue，bendi;willyoupromisemetokeepyoureyesdnotlookoutthewindowuntilIamd?Imusthandthsinbytomorrow。I，orIwoulddrawtheshadedown。"

"p;apos;tyoudrawiherroom?"askedJohnsy，coldly。