"Ivo," Paul said, clapping him on the shoulder, "you're a born trouper." "Yes," Ivo murmured, "I'm beginning to think so myself." For the next four weeks, Paul Lambrequin lurked in his room while Ivo Darcy played Paul Lambrequin playing Eric Everard. "It's terrific of you to take all this time away from your duties, old chap," Paul said to Ivo one day between the matinee and the evening performances. "I really do appreciate it. Although I suppose you've managed to squeeze some of them in. I never see you on non-matinee afternoons." "Duties?" Ivo repeated vacantly. "Yes, of course--my duties." "Let me give you some professional advice, though. Be more careful when you take off your makeup. There's still some grease paint in the roots of your hair." "Sloppy of me," Ivo agreed, getting to work with a towel. "I can't understand why you bother to put on the stuff at all," Paul grinned, "when all you need to do is just change a little more." "I know." Ivo rubbed his temples vigorously. "I suppose I just like the--smell of the stuff." "Ivo," Paul laughed, "there's no use trying to kid me; you are stagestruck. I'm sure I have enough pull now to get you a bit part somewhere, when I'm up and around again, and then you can get yourself an Equity card. Maybe," he added amusedly, "I can even have you replace Gregory as my understudy." * * * * * Later, in retrospect, Paul thought perhaps there had been a curious expression in Ivo's eyes, but right then he'd had no inkling that anything untoward was up. He did not find out what had been at the back of Ivo's mind until the Sunday before the Tuesday on which he was planning to resume his role. "Lord, it's going to be good to feel that stage under my feet again," he said as he went through a series of complicated limbering-up exercises of his own devisement, which he had sometimes thought of publishing as _The Lambrequin Time and Motion Studies_. It seemed unfair to keep them from other actors. Ivo turned around from the mirror in which he had been contemplating their mutual beauty, "Paul," he said quietly, "you're never going to feel that stage under your feet again." Paul sat on the floor and stared at him. "You see, Paul," Ivo said, "I am Paul Lambrequin now. I am more Paul Lambrequin than I was--whoever I was on my native planet. I am more Paul Lambrequin than _you_ ever were. You learned the part superficially, Paul, but I really _feel_ it." "It's not a part," Paul said querulously. "It's me. I've always been Paul Lambrequin." "How can you be sure of that? You've had so many identities, why should this be the true one? No, you only _think_ you're Paul Lambrequin. I _know_ I am." "Dammit," Paul said, "that's the identity in which I've taken out Equity membership. And be reasonable, Ivo--there can't be two Paul Lambrequins." Ivo smiled sadly. "No, Paul, you're right. There can't."