Henry
InalittledistrictwestofWashingtonSquarethestreetshaveruncrazyandbrokenthemselvesintosmallstriscalled
"laces
"。These
"laces
"makestrangeanglesandcurves。OneStreetcrossesitselfatimeortwo。Anartistoncediscoveredavaluableossibilityinthisstreet。Suoseacollectorwithabillforaints,aerandcanvasshould,intraversingthisroute,suddenlymeethimselfcomingback,withoutacenthavingbeenaidonaccount!
So,toquaintoldGreenwichVillagethearteolesooncamerowling,huntingfornorthwindowsandeighteenth-centurygablesandDutchatticsandlowrents。ThentheyimortedsomeewtermugsandachafingdishortwofromSixthAvenue,andbecamea
"colony
"。
Atthetoofasquatty,three-storybrickSueandJohnsyhadtheirstudio。
"Johnsy
"wasfamiliarforJoanna。OnewasfromMaine;theotherfromCalifornia。Theyhadmetatthetabled&aos;hoteofanEighthStreet
"Delmonico&aos;s
",andfoundtheirtastesinart,chicorysaladandbishosleevessocongenialthatthejointstudioresulted。
ThatwasinMay。InNovemberacold,unseenstranger,whomthedoctorscalledPneumonia,stalkedaboutthecolony,touchingonehereandtherewithhisicyfingers。Overontheeastsidethisravagerstrodeboldly,smitinghisvictimsbyscores,buthisfeettrodslowlythroughthemazeofthenarrowandmoss-grown
"laces
"。
Mr。Pneumoniawasnotwhatyouwouldcallachivalricoldgentleman。AmiteofalittlewomanwithbloodthinnedbyCaliforniazehyrswashardlyfairgameforthered-fisted,short-breathedoldduffer。ButJohnsyshesmote;andshelay,scarcelymoving,onheraintedironbedstead,lookingthroughthesmallDutchwindow-anesattheblanksideofthenextbrickhouse。
OnemorningthebusydoctorinvitedSueintothehallwaywithashaggy,grayeyebrow。
"Shehasonechancein-letussay,ten,
"hesaid,asheshookdownthemercuryinhisclinicalthermometer。
"Andthatchanceisforhertowanttolive。Thiswayeolehaveoflining-uonthesideoftheundertakermakestheentireharmacooeialooksilly。Yourlittleladyhasmadeuhermindthatshe&aos;snotgoingtogetwell。Hassheanythingonhermind?
"
"She-shewantedtoainttheBayofNalessomeday。
"saidSue。
"Paint?-bosh!Hassheanythingonhermindworththinkingabluttwice-amanforinstance?
"
"Aman?
"saidSue,withajew&aos;s-hartwanginhervoice。
"Isamanworth-but,no,doctor;thereisnothingofthekind。
"
"Well,itistheweakness,then,
"saidthedoctor。
"Iwilldoallthatscience,sofarasitmayfilterthroughmyefforts,canaccomlish。ButwhenevermyatientbeginstocountthecarriagesinherfuneralrocessionIsubtract50ercentfromthecurativeowerofmedicines。IfyouwillgethertoaskonequestionaboutthenewwinterstylesincloaksleevesIwillromiseyouaone-in-fivechanceforher,insteadofoneinten。
"
AfterthedoctorhadgoneSuewentintotheworkroomandcriedaJaanesenakintoaul。ThensheswaggeredintoJohnsy&aos;sroomwithherdrawingboard,whistlingragtime。