English
AfterthedoctorhadgoneSuewentintotheworkroomandcriedaJapanesenapkintoapulp.ThensheswaggeredintoJohnsy'sroomwithherdrawingboard,whistlingragtime.
Johnsylay,scarcelymakingarippleunderthebedclothes,withherfacetowardthewindow.Suestoppedwhistling,thinkingshewasasleep.
Shearrangedherboardandbeganapen-and-inkdrawingtoillustrateamagazinestory.YoungartistsmustpavetheirwaytoArtbydrawingpicturesformagazinestoriesthatyoungauthorswritetopavetheirwaytoLiterature.
AsSuewassketchingapairofeleganthorseshowridingtrousersandamonocleofthefigureofthehero,anIdahocowboy,sheheardalowsound,severaltimesrepeated.Shewentquicklytothebedside.
Johnsy'seyeswereopenwide.Shewaslookingoutthewindowandcounting-countingbackward.
"Twelve,"shesaid,andlittlelater"eleven";andthen"ten,"and"nine";andthen"eight"and"seven",almosttogether.
Suelookssolicitouslyoutofthewindow.Whatwastheretocount?
Therewasonlyabare,drearyyardtobeseen,andtheblanksideofthebrickhousetwentyfeetaway.Anold,oldivyvine,gnarledanddecayedattheroots,climbedhalfwayupthebrickwall.
Thecoldbreathofautumnhadstrickenitsleavesfromthevineuntilitsskeletonbranchesclung,almostbare,tothecrumblingbricks.
"Whatisit,dear?"askedSue.
"Six,"saidJohnsy,inalmostawhisper."They'refallingfasternow.Threedaysagotherewerealmostahundred.Itmademyheadachetocountthem.Butnowit'seasy.Theregoesanotherone.Thereareonlyfiveleftnow."
"Fivewhat,dear?TellyourSudie."
"Leaves.Ontheivyvine.WhenthelastonefallsImustgo,too.I'veknownthatforthreedays.Didn'tthedoctortellyou?"
"Oh,Ineverheardofsuchnonsense,"complainedSue,withmagnificentscorn.
"Whathaveoldivyleavestodowithyourgettingwell?Andyouusedtolovethatvineso,younaughtygirl.
Don'tbeagoosey.Why,thedoctortoldmethismorningthatyourchancesforgettingwellrealsoonwere---let'sseeexactlywhathesaid---hesaidthechancesweretentoone!Why,that'salmostasgoodachanceaswehaveinNewYorkwhenwerideonthestreetcarsorwalkpastanewbuilding.
Trytotakesomebrothnow,andletSudiegobacktoherdrawing,soshecanselltheeditormanwithit,andbuyportwineforhersickchild,andporkchopsforhergreedyself."
"Youneedn'tgetanymorewine,"saidJohnsy,keepinghereyesfixedoutthewindow."Theregoesanother.No,Idon'twantanybroth.Thatleavesjustfour.Iwanttoseethelastonefallbeforeitgetsdark.ThenI'llgo,too."
"Johnsy,dear,"saidSue,bendingoverher,"willyoupromisemetokeepyoureyesclosed,andnotlookoutthewindowuntilIamdoneworking?Imusthandthosedrawingsinbytomorrow.Ineedthelight,orIwoulddrawtheshadedown."
"Couldn'tyoudrawintheotherroom?"askedJohnsy,coldly.
"I'dratherbeherebyyou,"saidSue."Beside,Idon'twantyoutokeeplookingatthosesillyivyleaves."
"Tellmeassoonasyouhavefinished,"saidJohnsy,closinghereyes,andlyingwhiteandstillasafallenstatue,"becauseIwanttoseethelastonefall.I'mtiredofwaiting.I'mtiredofthinking.Iwanttoturnloosemyholdoneverything,andgosailingdown,down,justlikeoneofthosepoor,tiredleaves."
"Trytosleep,"saidSue."ImustcallBehrmanuptobemymodelfortheoldhermitminer.I'llnotbegoneaminute.Don'ttrytomoveuntilIcomeback."
Share this article to
FINISH