it happened that an old sick man who lived near by had begged to be carried out and to be laid at the foot of the wall so that the beams of the rising sun might fall upon him , and he would be able to talk with his friends as they passed by to their work . little did he guess that on top of the battlements , exactly over his head , stood a man who was taking his last look at the same sun , before going to his death that awaited him . but so it was ; and as the steeple opposite was touched by the golden light , the poor man shut his eyes and sprang forward . the wall was high , and he flew rapidly through the air , but it was not the ground he touched , only the body of the sick man , who rolled over and died without a groan . as for the other , he was quite unhurt , and was slowly rising to his feet when his arms were suddenly seized and held .
an old sick man .
who lived near by had begged to be carried out and to be laid at the foot of the wall ?
who lived near by had begged to be carried out and to be laid at the foot of the wall ?