Summary of the text! Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor
in the same house. He was over sixty. Behrman was a failure in
art, but he still hoped to paint a masterpiece. He earned a little
by serving as a model to those young painters who could not pay
the price of a professional.
Sue found Behrman in his little room. She told him about
Johnsy's illness.
«She thinks that she will die when the last leaf falls from
the old ivy-vine on the wall of the next house.»
Johnsy was sleeping when they entered her room. They went
to the window and looked at each other for a moment without
speaking. When Johnsy opened her eyes the next morning,
there was only one yellow and green ivy leaf. It was the last on
the vine.
«It is the last one, said Johnsy. «I thought it would fall
during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today, and I shall
die at the same time.
The day came to its end and even in the evening there was
still one leaf on the ivy-vine. Then, with the coming of the
night, the north wind began to blow again, the rain beat against
the windows.
In the morning, the girls looked out of the window. The one
ivy leaf was still on the vine.
Johnsy lay for a long time looking at it. And then she called
Sue and said, I've been a bad girl. Something has made that
last leaf stay there to show that we must always hope for the
best. You may bring me a little soup now, and some milk.
An hour later, she said, «Sue, some day I hope to paint a
beautiful picture.
The doctor came in the afternoon. In the corridor he said
to Sue, "She's much better now, she's getting well. Now I must
see old Behrman. Pneumonia, too. He's an old man. There is no
hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today. He'll be more
comfortable there.
The next day, the doctor said to Sue, «She's out of danger.
You've won. Good food and care now - that's all.
That afternoon Sue came to the bed where Johnay lay. I have something to tell you, dear, she said. «Mr. Behrman
died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only two
days. He was found helpless in his room in the morning. His
shoes and clothing were wet and he was very cold. They also
found a lamp and a ladder in the room, some brushes and some
yellow and green paints. Now look out of the window, dear, at
the last ivy leaf on the wall. Do you know why it never moved
when the wind blew? Ah, dear, it's Behrman's masterpiece - he
painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.