, owing to the burden he carries on his back, flounders
about and is fast sinking when Help appears and asks: "What
doest thou there?" Jake answered: "Noting." Palmer hissed: "Roll
over! Roll over! Hold your head under the canvas; duck, you son
of a gun, duck!" Palmer answered with the speech Jake was
supposed to deliver, as Jake rolled over and over: "Sir, I was
bid by a man named Evangelist, who directed me to yonder gate
that I might escape the wrath to come and as I was going thither
I fell in here." Then I come as Help; I say: "Why did you not
look for the steps?" Jake is supposed to say: "Fear followed me
so hard that I fled the next way and fell in." Then as Help, I
lean far over, hold out my hand and say: "Give me thine hand
that I may draw thee upon hard ground that thou might go thy
way." Instead of Jake following the business as rehearsed, he
arose, took the burden off his back, walked out the opposite
side, back towards the City of Destruction.

The audience, or some of them, tittered, others laughed
outright. Palmer was prompting Jake: "Get into the pond!
Complete the scene!" The more Palmer prompted, the more confused
Jake appeared. "Get your burden, it's not time to drop it; get
your burden." Jake, smiling, walked over the miry, muddy slough
he was supposed to have struggled in a moment before, and took
up the burden. Instead of putting it on his back he carried it
under his arm, nodded at Palmer, as much as to say: "I'm ready
for anything further, go on." Worldly Wise Man here appears
before Christian and speaks to him: "How now good fellow;
whither away after this burdened manner?" Christian answers: "A
burdened manner indeed as ever, I think, poor creature had. And
whereas you ask me whither away, I am going to yonder wicket
gate, for there, as I am informed, I shall be put in a way to be
rid of my heavy burden." Then Worldly Wise advises Christian:
"Wilt thou hearken to me if I give thee counsel?" Christian
answers: "If it be good I will, for I stand in need of good
counsel." Worldly Wise then answers: "I would advise thee that
thou, with all speed, get thyself rid of thy burden, for thou
will never be settled in thy mind until then." Palmer answered
with Christian's speech: "That is which I seek for, even to be
rid of this heavy burden, but get it off my