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InalittledistrictwestofWashingtonSquarethestreetshaveruncrazyandbrokenthemselvesintosmallstripscalled"places."
These"places"makestrangeanglesandcurves.OneStreetcrossesitselfatimeortwo.
Anartistoncediscoveredavaluablepossibilityinthisstreet.
Supposeacollectorwithabillforpaints,paperandcanvasshould,intraversingthisroute,suddenlymeethimselfcomingback,withoutacenthavingbeenpaidonaccount!
So,toquaintoldGreenwichVillagetheartpeoplesooncameprowling,huntingfornorthwindowsandeighteenth-centurygablesandDutchatticsandlowrents.
ThentheyimportedsomepewtermugsandachafingdishortwofromSixthAvenue,andbecamea"colony."
Atthetopofasquatty,three-storybrickSueandJohnsyhadtheirstudio."Johnsy"wasfamiliarforJoanna.OnewasfromMaine;theotherfromCalifornia.
Theyhadmetatthetabled'hôteofanEighthStreet"Delmonico's",andfoundtheirtastesinart,chicorysaladandbishopsleevessocongenialthatthejointstudioresulted.
ThatwasinMay.InNovemberacold,unseenstranger,whomthedoctorscalledPneumonia,stalkedaboutthecolony,touchingonehereandtherewithhisicyfingers.
Overontheeastsidethisravagerstrodeboldly,smitinghisvictimsbyscores,buthisfeettrodslowlythroughthemazeofthenarrowandmoss-grown"places."
Mr.Pneumoniawasnotwhatyouwouldcallachivalricoldgentleman.
AmiteofalittlewomanwithbloodthinnedbyCaliforniazephyrswashardlyfairgameforthered-fisted,short-breathedoldduffer.
ButJohnsyhesmote;andshelay,scarcelymoving,onherpaintedironbedstead,lookingthroughthesmallDutchwindow-panesattheblanksideofthenextbrickhouse.
OnemorningthebusydoctorinvitedSueintothehallwaywithashaggy,grayeyebrow.
"Shehasonechancein-letussay,ten,"hesaid,asheshookdownthemercuryinhisclinicalthermometer."Andthatchanceisforhertowanttolive.Thiswaypeoplehaveoflining-uonthesideoftheundertakermakestheentirepharmacopoeialooksilly.Yourlittleladyhasmadeuphermindthatshe'snotgoingtogetwell.Hassheanythingonhermind?"
"She-shewantedtopainttheBayofNaplessomeday."saidSue.
"Paint?-bosh!Hassheanythingonhermindworththinkingtwice-amanforinstance?"
"Aman?"saidSue,withajew's-harptwanginhervoice."Isamanworth-but,no,doctor;thereisnothingofthekind."
"Well,itistheweakness,then,"saidthedoctor."Iwilldoallthatscience,sofarasitmayfilterthroughmyefforts,canaccomplish.ButwhenevermypatientbeginstocountthecarriagesinherfuneralprocessionIsubtract50percentfromthecurativepowerofmedicines.IfyouwillgethertoaskonequestionaboutthenewwinterstylesincloaksleevesIwillpromiseyouaone-in-fivechanceforher,insteadofoneinten."
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