Athelstan hates himself
Athelstan feels particularly guilty about dealing the death blow to one of the ghouls. With the other two unconcious, he wonders if the whole ordeal was really as extreme as it seemed to be at the time.
He feels low about this and wonders what words he'll find to offer comfort and apology to Dorothea. Can her other two children be turned back to what they were?
And what's this buisiness with someone at the door? What do I care about another weary traveller when I've just killed a woman's child, though it were a ghoul at the time? How I hate myself... how they all must. For they all subdued their attackers, whereas I crushed the skull of mine with this stinking flail I use for defense. Hah! "Defense"? Who's defense? When I start flinging this thing around, 'tis others that would need defense from my foolish brand of protection.
I say let the door open... if a threat abounds, point me in the suitable direction. Seems all I'm good for is hurting and killing those around me. So open the door and give me again a reason to continue with my cursed existence.