“The Last Ivy Leaf Continued”最后的常青藤叶
It was a cold and rainy night in the city. The wind howled through the streets, and the rain beat against the windows. In a small apartment on the top floor of an old building, a young artist named Johnsy lay in her bed, staring out the window at the ivy vine that grew on the wall outside.
Johnsy had been ill for a long time, and her condition had worsened in recent days. She had lost all hope of recovery and had decided to give up. Her friend, Sue, who was also an artist, tried to cheer her up, but Johnsy was too depressed to listen.
One day, Sue noticed that there was only one ivy leaf left on the vine. It was a small, yellowish leaf that clung to the branch with a tenacious grip. Sue pointed it out to Johnsy, saying that it was a sign of hope. Johnsy looked at the leaf and said, “It will fall tonight, and I will die with it.”
Sue was determined to save Johnsy’s life. She went to see an old painter named Behrman, who lived in the same building. Behrman was a kind and eccentric man who had always wanted to paint a masterpiece. Sue asked him to paint a leaf on the wall outside Johnsy’s window, so that Johnsy would think that the last ivy leaf had not fallen.
Behrman agreed to help, and that night, he went out into the rain and painted a beautiful green leaf on the wall. The next morning, when Johnsy woke up and saw the leaf, she was filled with hope. She said to Sue, “I think I will get better.”
Over the next few days, Johnsy’s condition improved. She began to eat and drink again, and her strength returned. Sue was overjoyed, and she thanked Behrman for his kindness.
However, Behrman had caught a cold from being out in the rain, and his condition worsened. He died a few days later, but his masterpiece, the painted ivy leaf, remained on the wall outside Johnsy’s window.
Johnsy recovered completely and went on to become a successful artist. She always remembered Behrman’s kindness and the power of hope. She painted a picture of the ivy leaf and hung it in her studio, as a reminder of the importance of never giving up.
Years passed, and the building where Johnsy and Sue had lived was demolished. The ivy vine was torn down, but the painted leaf remained, a symbol of hope and perseverance. People would often stop and look at the leaf, and they would be inspired by its story.
And so, the last ivy leaf continued to live on, not only in Johnsy’s memory, but in the hearts of all those who saw it. It reminded them that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope, and that with a little kindness and a lot of determination, anything is possible.
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