"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。"