Slowly, all the peasants who had come, all the merchant's workers, and even strangers began to enter. They could guess what had happened, but no one dared to interrupt the old man who spoke with such seriousness. Ilia stood up but fell silent, not knowing what to say. His lips trembled slightly from the emotion.
Dutlof waved her away with a slow and imposing gesture of his hand and continued. "You spoke very heavy words yesterday. With those words, it was as if you had plunged a double-edged knife into my heart. Your father, as he was dying, entrusted you to my care, and I did not distinguish you from my own child. If I have wronged you in any way, we are all human. We sin without wanting to, without realizing it. Am I not right, Christians?" he turned to the peasants surrounding him.
"And let your mother be here and your young wife, in front of everyone, I hand you this paper. Good luck with the money! And forgive me for my part, for the sake of Christ."
