O.

HENRY, THE LAST LEAF

In the 1890s, many artists lived in Greenwich Village, in One morning, the doctor spoke quietly to Sue outside
New York City. Johnsy’s room.
Sue and Johnsy were artists. The two girls met each ‘I can’t help her,’ the doctor said. ‘She is very sad. She
other in the month of May, at a restaurant in Greenwich doesn’t want to live. Someone must make her happy again.
Village. What is she interested in?’
‘I’m from the State of Maine,’ Sue said to Johnsy. ‘I draw ‘She’s an artist,’ Sue replied. ‘She wants to paint a
pictures for stories in magazines.’ picture of the Bay of Naples.’
‘I’m from California,’ Johnsy said to Sue. ‘But I want to go ‘Painting!’ said the doctor. ‘That won’t help her!’
to Italy. I want to paint a picture of the Bay of Naples!’ The doctor left the apartment.
The two girls talked happily for an hour – about art, about Sue went into her own room and she cried quietly for a
clothes, about food. few minutes. Then she picked up her drawing board and
Soon after their first meeting, Sue and Johnsy moved some pencils. She started to sing a happy song and walked
into a studio apartment together. Their rooms were at the into Johnsy’s room.
top of an old brick house in Greenwich Village. Johnsy lay silently in her bed. Her face was thin and
In December, it was very cold in New York. Snow fell white. She was looking towards the window.
and there was ice in the ground. Many people in the city ‘Johnsy is asleep,’ Sue thought.
became ill. The illness was called pneumonia. The doctors She stopped singing and she sat down in a corner of the
tried to help the sick people, but many of them died. room. Then she started to draw a picture for a magazine.
That month, Johnsy had pneumonia. She was very ill. Suddenly, Sue heard a quiet sound. She went quickly to the
She lay in her bed and she did not move. A doctor visited side of the bed. Johnsy’s eyes were open. She was looking
her every day. But Johnsy was not getting better. out of the window and she was speaking quietly.

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O. Henry, The Last Leaf and Other Stories. ISBN 3-19-002712-9
 O. HENRY, THE LAST LEAF
‘Twelve,’ Johnsy said. A little later, she said ‘eleven’. Then Johnsy was still looking at the vine. ‘There are only four
she said ‘ten’. Then ‘nine’. And then she said ‘eight’ and leaves now,’ she said. ‘I don’t want any soup. The last leaf
‘seven’ almost together. She was counting backwards. will fall soon.’
What was Johnsy looking at? What was she counting? ‘Johnsy, dear,’ Sue said. ‘Please close your eyes and go
Sue looked out of the window. to sleep. I have to finish this drawing by tomorrow. And I
Outside the window, Sue saw the brick wall of the next don’t want you to look at those leaves any more.’
house. An old vine grew against the wall. There were very Johnsy closed her eyes. ‘But I want to watch the last
few leaves on its branches. leaf,’ she said again. ‘It will fall soon. The leaves are tired.
‘Six,’ Johnsy said. ‘They’re falling faster. Three days ago, I’m tired too. I want to die.’
there was almost a hundred. Ah, there goes another! There ‘Please try to sleep,’ Sue said. ‘I’m going to talk to
are only five now.’ Behrman for a minute. I must have a model for my drawing.
‘Five? What are you talking about, Johnsy?’ Sue asked. Behrman will be my model.’
‘Please tell me.’ Old Behrman lived downstairs. He was also an artist, but
‘There are only five leaves on the vine now,’ said Johnsy. he had never painted a good picture. He was sad about this
‘The last leaf will fall soon and then I’ll die. Didn’t the doctor and he was angry about it too.
tell you about the leaves?’ ‘One day, I will paint a wonderful picture,’ Behrman often
‘Don’t say that! You’re not going to die!’ Sue said. ‘You’re said. ‘One day, I will paint a masterpiece.’
going to get better. The doctor told me that this morning. I’ll But he had never painted a masterpiece. And he was
bring you some soup and I’ll draw my picture. The more than sixty years old.
magazine will pay me quickly. Then I’ll buy us some nice Sue found the little old man in his dark room. She told him
food.’ about Johnsy and the vine leaves.

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O. Henry, The Last Leaf and Other Stories. ISBN 3-19-002712-9
 O. HENRY, THE LAST LEAF
‘ Together, they went upstairs. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue
pulled the shade down over her friend’s bedroom window.
Then she took Behrman into her own room. They both
looked at the vine. Cold rain was falling.
‘Soon there will be snow,’ Sue thought.
Behrman sat down and Sue started to draw a picture of
him.

–––

That night, there was a storm. The rain fell heavily and the
Oh, the foolish girl!’ Behrman shouted. ‘An old vine can’t wind was very strong.
kill people!’ Johnsy woke early the next morning. ‘Pull up the shade,’
‘But the vine is killing her,’ said Sue. ‘She’s very ill and she said to Sue.
weak. She sees the vine dying. Now she wants to die too.’ Sue pulled up the shade. There was still one leaf on the
Behrman was angry, but he loved the two young artists vine! The leaf was dark green and yellow. And it hung from
very much. a branch twenty feet above the ground.
‘Ah, little Miss Johnsy,’ he said quietly. ‘She’s too good ‘That’s the last leaf,’ said Johnsy. ‘It will fall today. I’ll die
for this place. One day, I will paint a masterpiece. Then we at the same time.’
will all go to Italy. We will go to Naples. Yes! But today, I’ll Sue put her face close to her friend’s face.
be your model.’ ‘Don’t say that, Johnsy,’ she said quietly. ‘I don’t want

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O. Henry, The Last Leaf and Other Stories. ISBN 3-19-002712-9
 O. HENRY, THE LAST LEAF
you to die.’ Behrman. He has pneumonia too. I must send him to the
Johnsy did not answer. hospital.’
The leaf stayed on the vine all day. That night, there was
more wind and rain. –––
In the morning, Johnsy woke early again. ‘Pull up the
shade,’ she said. The next day, the doctor spoke to Sue again.
The leaf was still on the vine. Johnsy lay in her bed and ‘Your friend will soon be well,’ he said. Then he told her
she looked at it for a long time. Then she called to Sue. some other news.
‘I’ve been a very foolish girl, Sue,’ she said. ‘I wanted to That afternoon, Sue went into Johnsy’s room and she
die. But the last leaf has stayed on the vine. It has taught put her arm around her friend’s shoulders. ‘Mr Behrman
me a lesson. Please, bring me a bowl of soup now.’ died this morning, in the hospital,’ she said. ‘Two days ago,
An hour later, Johnsy spoke again. one of the neighbours found him in his bedroom. Behrman
Sue, my dear,’ she said. ‘One day, I’m going to paint a was very ill. His shoes and clothes were cold and wet. The
picture of the Bay of Naples!’ neighbour sent for the doctor. Later, the neighbour found a
ladder outside in the yard. There was a lamp next to it. And
––– there were brushes, and some yellow and green paint.’
‘Johnsy, look out of the window,’ Sue said quietly. ‘Look at
The doctor visited the girls in the afternoon. He looked at the last leaf on the vine. It’s still there. It has never moved in
Johnsy carefully and he held Sue’s thin hand. the wind. Didn’t that surprise you? It’s Behrman’s
‘Take good care of your friend,’ he said. ‘She is going to get masterpiece, dear. He painted it on the night of the storm.’
well. Now I have to go downstairs. I have to visit Mr

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O. Henry, The Last Leaf and Other Stories. ISBN 3-19-002712-9