One or two stared the captives in the face,

Just as one views a horse to guess his price;

Some nodded to the negro from their station,

But no one troubled him with conversation.[286]

LV.

He leads them through the hall, and, without stopping,

On through a farther range of goodly rooms,

Splendid, but silent, save in one, where dropping[287]

A marble fountain echoes through the glooms