And Lara gazed on these, sedately glad,

His brow belied him if his soul was sad;

And his glance followed fast each fluttering fair,

Whose steps of lightness woke no echo there: 400

He leaned against the lofty pillar nigh,

With folded arms and long attentive eye,

Nor marked a glance so sternly fixed on his—

Ill brooked high Lara scrutiny like this:

At length he caught it—'tis a face unknown,

But seems as searching his, and his alone;

Prying and dark, a stranger's by his mien,

Who still till now had gazed on him unseen:

At length encountering meets the mutual gaze

Of keen enquiry, and of mute amaze; 410

On Lara's glance emotion gathering grew,

As if distrusting that the stranger threw;

Along the stranger's aspect, fixed and stern,

Flashed more than thence the vulgar eye could learn.