Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the apartment building. Behrman was a failure in art.
Sue found Behrman in his room. Sue told him about Johnsy and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf.
Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "Are there people in the world with the foolishness to die because leaves drop off a vine? "
"She is very sick and weak," said Sue, "and the disease has left her mind full of strange ideas."
"This is not any place in which one so good as Miss Johnsy shall lie sick," said Behrman. "Some day I will paint a masterpiece, and we shall all go away."