"Don't argue with me," Lennox said mildly. "You have a talent that terrifies me. It always puts me in the wrong." Sachs turned, leaped across the pit and ran back to the controls. The orchestra fanfared. The dancers came off and ran up to the balcony. Mason charged out of his dressing room, buttoning up his Philip Nolan uniform. Across the stage a group of actors were assembling on a courtroom set before the No. 3 camera. Lennox waved to Robin, picked a bunch of artificial flowers off the prop table and threw it to her. The flowers were intercepted by Oliver Stacy's face. Stacy spread his shoulders and telegraphed the punch. Lennox stepped inside and hooked his right to Stacy's heart. Then he caught him before he could fall and disrupt the dress. They clinched. "Rehearsal! Rehearsal!" Lennox whispered. Stacy broke away and ran into his dressing room. Lennox massaged his fist happily. The stage manager appeared and returned the flowers to the prop table in a marked manner. Kay Hill came out in black lace court dress, ruff and cap to take position before the No. 1 camera with an Extra dressed in leather and carrying an axe. The wardrobe mistress appeared. "Not Grenadier. Household," Lennox told her severely. "I'm having trouble with Cooper." "What's the matter?" "He won't get into costume." "Where's he dressing?" "Up in Nine." Lennox ran up the iron steps to the balcony, three at a time. He passed the dancers' dressing room and had a flashing glimpse of naked flat-chested girls juggling into can-can costumes. He knocked once on the door of Nine and burst in. It was the size of a privy. Cooper sat on a stool before the bulb-ringed mirror staring at a red and white blazer and a scarlet banded straw hat. His face bore a ghastly expression. "What the hell, Sam?" Cooper looked at him without changing expression. "Your spot comes up in five minutes." Cooper shook his head. "What's the matter? Speak." "I'm sick." "Stage-fright, hey? Don't worry, I'll see you through." Lennox picked up the blazer. "Come on. Change." Cooper made no move. Lennox took his shoulder and shook him. "Wake up, boy. You're on in five minutes. Take off your coat." "Leave me alone!" Cooper knocked Jake's hand away. "Take it easy, Wolfgang. Don't get panicky. I told you I'd see you through." "See me through what? More hell?" "It may be hell, but it's worth it. We're promoting you, son." "Promoting me?" Cooper laughed hysterically. "You're an expert, aren't you? You've promoted yourself to hell." "Maybe I have, but I'm not quitting on the way down. Don't you quit on the way up." Lennox glared at him. "For Christ's sake, Sam! Do I have to fight for both of us? Don't you have any strength of your own?" Cooper started to his feet in horror.