Late Repentance

immediately widened with horror. Before her, in the faint light of the pale moon, the unsteady silhouette of a merchant appeared, and behind him, a dozen pairs of eyes of some terrible black creatures, barely distinguishable in the dark, were shining.

“Why don't you open the house to the owner, huh ?!” Friedrich tried to express his indignation in a braided language. “Don't you see that I came home! And feed my dogs immediately!”

Then he staggered again and almost fell, catching his foot on the threshold, but Maria jumped out from behind the cook in time and with difficulty dragged her father into the house. And the cook, once again glancing at the terrifying dark creatures, immediately slammed the door and began to cross herself quickly, muttering under her breath:

“Save us, Holy Mother of God, forgive us, sinners! We did not deserve such a harsh punishment!”

“Stop wailing to you! You better help me bring my father to bed,” Maria tried to calm her down.