D. “But only a host of phantom listeners That dwelt in the lone house then”
Explanation:
The house was empty and only phantoms/ ghosts still were in it at the time. There seemed to be nobody around when he finally arrived, because he was gone for so long.
Answer:
is this question regarding a particular passage or book?
An absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance
The formulas were part of the performance to allow the audience a moment to breathe while the singer could think about the next part of the story. These formulas for different aspects of culture such as greeting guests, eating meals, etc.