They  go  up  to  the  eager  crowd  and  Nathan's  enthusi-
astic friend  says:  "If  you  please,  let  us  get  through
with  this  sick  man."  But  as  in  other  crowds,  the
man  addressed  says  :  "Don't  bother  me  ;  don't  you  see
I  'm  trying  to  get  there  myself.  I  've  been  here  all
day  waiting  for  a  chance."  It 's  the  same  with  others,
until  one  of  the  helpers  says :  "I  told  you  so ;  it  was
foolish  to  undertake  such  a  thing  as  this."  But
Nathan's  friend  is  a  real  friend.  He  says,  "Just  let
him  rest  here  a  moment,  I  '11  soon  be  back,"  and  he
disappears  around  the  corner  of  the  street.  By  and
by  back  he  comes  and  he  has  a  piece  of  rope  on  his
arm.  "What's  that  for?"  asks  the  man  at  one  corner
of  the  bed.  "You  '11  see.  Bring  Nathan  up  here,"  and
he  points  to  the  stairway  running  up  to  the  roof  on
the  outside  of  the  house.  Here  they  object  again,
and  even  Nathan  can't  see  what  good  that  is  going
to  do  them.     But  his  friend,  his  real   friend   insists.
