midnight
Behind the blue transparent darkness the music throbbed like a dawn ; it swayed and sank , piano , pianissimo , and streamed out again into the night , dividing the darkness . It flowed on in a tumult , a tremendous tumult , rhythmic and controlled . What was she playing ? If he stayed till midnight he must hear it through . Night sheltered him , and he drew nearer lest he should lose a note . He stretched himself on the lawn , and , with his head on his arms , he lay under the beech-tree , under the stars , dreaming , while Lucia Harden played to him the Sonata Appassionata . It was good to be there ; but he did not know , and the music did not tell him why he was there and what he was there for .