II
desperatly unrepentant to the "scourge of God",990how 'twas the crowded foulness of their own bodiespunish'd them so:—alas then in what plight are we,knowing 'twas mankind's crowded uncleanness of soulthat brought our plague! which yet we coud not cure nor stay;for Reason had lost control of his hot-temper'd steedand taken himself infection of the wild brute's madness;so when its fire slacken'd and the fierce fight wore out,our fever'd pulse show'd no sober return of health. Amid the flimsy joy of the uproarious citymy spirit on those first jubilant days of armistice1000was heavier within me, and felt a profounder fearthan ever it knew in all the War's darkest dismay.
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