TheLastLeaf1Atthetopofathree-storybrickbuilding,SueandJohnsyhadtheirstudio."Johnsy"wasfamiliarforJoanna.OnewasfromMaine;theotherfromCalifornia.TheyhadmetatacafeonEighthStreetandfoundtheirtastesinart,chicorysaladandbishopsleevessomuchintunethatthejointstudioresulted.在一幢三层砖楼的顶层，苏和约翰西辟了个画室。“约翰西”是乔安娜的昵称。她们一位来自缅因州，一位来自加利福尼亚。两人相遇在第八大街的一个咖啡馆，发现各自在艺术品味、菊苣色拉，以及灯笼袖等方面趣味相投，于是就有了这个两人画室。2ThatwasinMay.InNovemberacold,unseenstranger,whomthedoctorscalledPneumonia,stalkedaboutthedistrict,touchingonehereandtherewithhisicyfingers.Johnsywasamonghisvictims.Shelay,scarcelymovingonherbed,lookingthroughthesmallwindowattheblanksideofthenextbrickhouse.那是5月里的事。到了11月，一个医生称之为肺炎的阴森的隐形客闯入了这一地区，用它冰冷的手指东碰西触。约翰西也为其所害。她病倒了，躺在床上几乎一动不动，只能隔着小窗望着隔壁砖房那单调沉闷的侧墙。3OnemorningthebusydoctorinvitedSueintothehallwaywithabushy,grayeyebrow.一天上午，忙碌的医生扬了扬灰白的浓眉，示意苏来到过道。4"Shehasonechanceinten,"hesaid."Andthatchanceisforhertowanttolive.Yourlittleladyhasmadeuphermindthatshe'snotgoingtogetwell.Hassheanythingonhermind?“她只有一成希望，”他说。“那还得看她自己是不是想活下去。你这位女朋友已经下决心不想好了。她有什么心事吗？”5"She--shewantedtopainttheBayofNaplessomeday,"saidSue.“她――她想有一天能去画那不勒斯湾，”苏说。6"Paint?--bosh!Hassheanythingonhermindworththinkingabouttwice--aman,forinstance?"“画画？――得了。她有没有别的事值得她留恋的――比如说，一个男人？”7"Aman?"saidSue."Isamanworth--but,no,doctor;thereisnothingofthekind."“男人？”苏说。“难道一个男人就值得――可是，她没有啊，大夫，没有这码子事。”8"Well,"saidthedoctor."Iwilldoallthatsciencecanaccomplish.ButwhenevermypatientbeginstocountthecarriagesinherfuneralprocessionIsubtract50percentfromthecurativepowerofmedicines."AfterthedoctorhadgoneSuewentintotheworkroomandcried.ThenshemarchedintoJohnsy'sroomwithherdrawingboard,whistlingamerrytune.“好吧，”大夫说。“我会尽一切努力，只要是科学能做到的。可是，但凡病人开始计算她出殡的行列里有几辆马车的时候，我就要把医药的疗效减去一半。”大夫走后，苏去工作室哭了一场。随后她携着画板大步走进约翰西的房间，口里吹着轻快的口哨。9Johnsylay,scarcelymakingamovementunderthebedclothes,withherfacetowardthewindow.Shewaslookingoutandcounting--countingbackward.约翰西躺在被子下几乎一动不动，脸朝着窗。她望着窗外，数着数――倒数着数！10"Twelve,"shesaid,andalittlelater"eleven";andthen"ten,"and"nine";andthen"eight"and"seven,"almosttogether.“12，”她数道，过了一会儿“11”，接着数“10”和“9”；再数“8”和“7”，几乎一口同时数下来。11Suelookedoutofthewindow.Whatwastheretocount?Therewasonlyabare,drearyyardtobeseen,andtheblanksideofthebrickhousetwentyfeetaway.Anold,oldivyvineclimbedhalfwayupthebrickwall.Thecoldbreathofautumnhadblownawayitsleaves,leavingitalmostbare.苏朝窗外望去。外面有什么好数的呢？外面只看到一个空荡荡的沉闷的院子，还有20英尺开外那砖房的侧墙，上面什么也没有。一棵古老的常青藤爬到半墙高。萧瑟秋风吹落了枝叶，藤上几乎光秃秃的。12"Six,"saidJohnsy,inalmostawhisper."They'refallingfasternow.Threedaysagotherewerealmostahundred.Itmademyheadachetocountthem.Butnowit'seasy.Theregoesanotherone.Thereareonlyfiveleftnow."“6”，约翰西数着，声音几乎听不出来。“现在叶子掉落得快多了。三天前差不多还有100片。数得我头都疼。可现...
