A king’s return; but scarce a bird took heed

Of those two travel-stained wanderers—Jean Guettard

And Malesherbes, his old school-friend.

Larks might see

Two wingless dots that crept along the road.

The Duke rode by and saw two vagabonds

With keenly searching eyes, as they jogged on

To Moulins. Birds and Duke and horse could see,

Against the sky, that old square prison-tower,

The tall cathedral, the dark gabled roofs,