Where, at the white road’s edge, a milestone rose

Out of the long grass, like a strange black gnome,

A gnome that had been dragged from his dark cave

Under the mountains, and now stood there dumb,

Striving to speak. But what?

“There! There! Again!”

Cried Jean Guettard. They stood and stared at it,

But not to read as other travellers use

How far themselves must journey.

They knelt down