And night and distant rumbling; now the army's br carrier-train was moving out, to war. br He looked up from the harpsichord, and as br he went on playing, he looked across at her br br almost as one might gaze into a mirror: br so deeply was her every feature filled br with his young features, which bore his pain and were br more beautiful and seductive with each sound. br br Then, suddenly, the image broke apart. br She stood, as though distracted, near the window br and felt the violent drum-beats of her heart. br br His playing stopped. From outside, a fresh wind blew. br And strangely alien on the mirror-table br stood the black shako with its ivory skull.