Even so must the old lords of Constantinople have looked at the slaves which the chances of war brought to their markets, assessing their usefulness for some task or other with no thought of a humanity common to purchased and purchaser.
And yet--not quite.

This woman's eyes were weighing me, not for any special duty, but for my essential qualities.

I felt that I was under the scrutiny of one who was a connoisseur in human nature.
I see I have written that I knew nothing about women.

But every man has in his bones a consciousness of sex.

I was shy and perturbed, but horribly fascinated.