Nightmare oppressiveness of profane love.

Cesspool within, and without him he could see

Nothing but mounds of flesh and harlotry.

Like a half-pricked bubble pendulous in space,

The buttered leatheriness of a Jew’s face

Looms through cigar-smoke; red and ghastly white,

Death’s-head women fascinate the sight.

It was the nightmare of a corpse. Dead, dead . . .

Oh, to wake up, to live again! he fled

From that foul place and from himself.