WearilySueobeyed。
But,look!Afterthebeatingrainandfiercegustsofwindthathadenduredthroughthelivelongnight,thereyetstoodoutagainstthebrickwalloneivyleaf。Itwasthelastoneonthevine。Stilldarkgreennearitsstem,butwithitsserratededgestintedwiththeyellowofdissolutionanddecay,ithungbravelyfromabranchsometwentyfeetabovetheground。
"Itisthelastone,
"saidJohnsy。
"Ithoughtitwouldsurelyfallduringthenight。Iheardthewind。Itwillfalltoday,andIshalldieatthesametime。
"
"Dear,dear!
"saidSue,leaningherwornfacedowntotheillow,
"thinkofme,ifyouwon&aos;tthinkofyourself。WhatwouldIdo?
"
ButJohnsydidnotanswer。Thelonesomestthinginalltheworldisasoulwhenitismakingreadytogoonitsmysterious,farjourney。Thefancyseemedtoossesshermorestronglyasonebyonethetiesthatboundhertofriendshiandtoearthwereloosed。
Thedayworeaway,andeventhroughthetwilighttheycouldseetheloneivyleafclingingtoitsstemagainstthewall。Andthen,withthecomingofthenightthenorthwindwasagainloosed,whiletherainstillbeatagainstthewindowsandattereddownfromthelowDutcheaves。
WhenitwaslightenoughJohnsy,themerciless,commandedthattheshadeberaised。Theivyleafwasstillthere。
Johnsylayforalongtimelookingatit。AndthenshecalledtoSue,whowasstirringherchickenbrothoverthegasstove。
"I&aos;vebeenabadgirl,Sudie,
"saidJohnsy。
"SomethinghasmadethatlastleafstaytheretoshowmehowwickedIwas。Itisasintowanttodie。Youmaybringmealittlebrothnow,andsomemilkwithalittleortinit,and-no;bringmeahand-mirrorfirst,andthenacksomeillowsaboutme,andIwillsituandwatchyoucook。
"
Andhourlatershesaid:
"Sudie,somedayIhoetoainttheBayofNales。
"
Thedoctorcameintheafternoon,andSuehadanexcusetogointothehallwayasheleft。
"Evenchances,
"saidthedoctor,takingSue&aos;sthin,shakinghandinhis。
"Withgoodnursingyou&aos;llwin。
"AndnowImustseeanothercaseIhavedownstairs。Behrman,hisnameis-somekindofanartist,Ibelieve。Pneumonia,too。Heisanold,weakman,andtheattackisacute。Thereisnohoeforhim;buthegoestothehositaltodaytobemademorecomfortable。
"
ThenextdaythedoctorsaidtoSue,
"She&aos;soutofdanger。You&aos;vewon。Nutritionandcarenow-that&aos;sall。
"
AndthatafternoonSuecametothebedwhereJohnsylay,contentedlyknittingaveryblueandveryuselesswoollenshoulderscarf,andutonearmaroundher,illowsandall。
"Ihavesomethingtotellyou,whitemouse,
"shesaid。
"Mr。Behrmandiedofneumoniatodayinthehosital。Hewasillonlytwodays。Thejanitorfoundhimonthemorningofthefirstdayinhisroomdownstairshellesswithain。Hisshoesandclothingwerewetthroughandicycold。Theycouldn&aos;timaginewherehehadbeenonsuchadreadfulnight。Andthentheyfoundalantern,stilllighted,andaladderthathadbeendraggedfromitslace,andsomescatteredbrushes,andaalettewithgreenandyellowcolorsmixedonit,and-lookoutthewindow,dear,atthelastivyleafonthewall。Didn&aos;tyouwonderwhyitneverflutteredormovedwhenthewindblew?Ah,darling,it&aos;sBehrman&aos;smasteriece-heaintedittherethenightthatthelastleaffell。
"