“ellmeassoonasyouhavefinished,”saidjohnsy,closinghereyes,andlyingwhieandsillasfallensaue,“becauseiwanoseehesonefalli’miredofwaiingi’miredofhinkingiwanournloosemyholdoneveryhing,andgosailingdown,down,juslikeoneofhosepoor,iredleaves”

“ryosleep,”saidsue“imuscallbehrmanupobemymodelforheoldhermimineri’llnobegoneaminuedon’ryomove’ilicomeback”

oldbehrmanwasapainerwholivedonhegroundfloorbeneahhemhewaspassixyandhadamichaelangelo’smosesbeardcurlingdownfromheheadofasayralonghebodyofanimpbehrmanwasafailureinarforyyearshehadwieldedhebrushwihougeingnearenoughoouchhehemofhismisress’srobehehadbeenalwaysabouopainamaserpiece,buhadneveryebeguniforseveralyearshehadpainednohingexcepnowandhenadaubinhelineofcommerceoradverisingheearnedalilebyservingasamodelohoseyoungarissinhecolonywhocouldnopayhepriceofaprofessionalhedrankginoexcess,andsillalkedofhiscomingmaserpieceforhereshewasafiercelileoldman,whoscoffederriblyasofnessinanyone,andwhoregardedhimselfasespecialmasiffinwaiingoproechewoyoungarissinhesudioabove

suefoundbehrmansmellingsronglyofjuniperberriesinhisdimlyligheddenbelowinonecornerwasabnkcanvasonaneaselhahadbeenwaiinghereforwenyfiveyearsoreceivehefirslineofhemaserpiecesheoldhimofjohnsy’sfancy,andhowshefearedshewould,indeed,lighandfragileasaleafherself,floaaway,whenherslighholduponheworldgrewweaker

oldbehrman,wihhisredeyespinlysreaming,shouedhisconempandderisionforsuchidioicimaginings

“vass！”hecried“isderepeopleindeworldmiderfoolishnessodiebecauseleafsdeydropofffromaconfoundedvine?ihafnoheardofsuchahingno,iwillnoboseasamodelforyourfoolhermidunderheadvydoyouallowdosillypusinessocomeinderbrainofher?ach,dopoorleelemissyohnsy”

“sheisveryillandweak,”saidsue,“andhefeverhaslefhermindmorbidandfullofsrangefanciesverywell,mrbehrman,ifyoudonocareoposeforme,youneedn’buihinkyouareahorridold—oldflibberigibbe”

“youarejuslikeawoman！”yelledbehrman“whosaidiwillnobose?goonicomemiyouforhalfanhourihafpeenryingosaydoiamreadyobosego！disisnoanybceinwhichonesogooasmissyohnsyshallliesicksomedayivillbainamaserpiece,andveshallallgoawaygo！yes”

johnsywassleepingwhenheywenupsairssuepulledheshadedownohewindowsill,andmoionedbehrmaninoheoherroominhereheypeeredouhewindowfearfullyaheivyvihenheylookedaeachoherforamomenwihouspeakingapersisen,coldrainwasfalling,mingledwihsnowbehrman,inhisoldblueshir,ookhisseaashehermimineronanupurnedkeleforarock

whensueawokefromanhour’ssleephenexmorningshefoundjohnsywihdull,wideopeneyessaringahedrawngreenshade

“pulliup;iwanosee,”sheordered,inawhisper

wearilysueobeyed

bu,look！aferhebeaingrainandfiercegussofwindhahadenduredhroughhelivelongnigh,hereyesoodouagainshebrickwalloneivyleafiwashesoneonhevinesilldarkgreennearissem,buwihisserraededgesinedwihheyellowofdissoluionanddecay,ihungbravelyfromabranchsomewenyfeeaboveheground

“iishesone,”saidjohnsy“ihoughiwouldsurelyfallduringhenighiheardhewindiwillfalloday,andishalldieahesameime”

“dear,dear！”saidsue,leaningherwornfacedownohepillow,“hinkofme,ifyouwon’hinkofyourselfwhawouldido?”

bujohnsydidnoanswerhelonesomeshinginallheworldisasoulwheniismakingreadyogoonismyserious,farjourneyhefancyseemedopossesshermoresronglyasonebyoheieshaboundherofriendshipandoearhwereloosed

hedayworeaway,andevenhroughhewilighheycouldseeheloneivyleafclingingoissemagainshewallandhen,wihhecomingofhenighhenorhwindwasagainloosed,whileherainsillbeaagainshewindowsandpaereddownfromhelowducheaves

wheniwaslighenoughjohnsy,hemerciless,commandedhaheshadeberaisedheivyleafwassillhere

johnsyyforalongimelookingaiandhenshecalledosue,whowassirringherchickenbrohoverhegassove

“i’vebeenabadgirl,sudie,”saidjohnsy“somehinghasmadehasleafsayhereoshowmehowwickediwasiisasinowanodieyoumaybringmealilebrohnow,andsomemilkwihalileporini,and—no;bringmeahandmirrorfirs,andhenpacksomepillowsaboume,andiwillsiupandwachyoucook”

andhourershesaid:

“sudie,somedayihopeopainhebayofnaples”

hedocorcameinheafernoon,andsuehadanexcuseogoinohehallwayashelef

“evenchances,”saidhedocor,akingsue’shin,shakinghandinhis“wihgoodnursingyou’llwin”andnowimusseeanohercaseihavedownsairsbehrman,hisnameis—somekindofanaris,ibelievepneumonia,ooheisanold,weakman,andheaackisacuehereisnohopeforhim;buhegoesohehospialodayobemademorecomforable”

henexdayhedocorsaidosue,“she’souofdangeryou’vewonnuriionandcarenow—ha’sall”

andhaafernoonsuecameohebedwherejohnsyy,conenedlykniingaveryblueandveryuselesswoollenshoulderscarf,andpuonearmaroundher,pillowsandall