In the early 19th century, there were about 200 serf theaters in Russia. In one of them, a horrifying story unfolded, reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe's works. In the village of Yumotovo near Kazan, local nobles often visited the theater of landowner Pyotr Esipov. The actress Grusha Meshkova attracted special attention with her ethereal beauty. However, one day she vanished without a trace. The search yielded no results until chance intervened.

One day, Alexandra Kakhovskaya, on her way to her brother, encountered a hurricane that was toppling trees. She ordered the coachman to stop in Yumotovo. There, the elder informed her that the lord no longer lived in the estate, as after Grunya Meshkova's disappearance, evil spirits had taken residence in the house. Alexandra Fyodorovna, unafraid, asked to be taken to the room where the ghost had been seen. By candlelight, she began to read a book. Closer to midnight, as she dozed off, a female figure in white appeared at the window. The ghost gestured for her to follow into the garden. In the darkness, Alexandra followed it down the path until it vanished.

The next morning, Kakhovskaya gathered the peasants and pointed out the spot where they should dig. Soon, a half-decayed skeleton, shoes, and beads emerged from the ground. Grunya's mother screamed upon recognizing her belongings. Alexandra hurried to Esipov in Kazan. He was on his deathbed. From the threshold, she asked, 'Why did you kill Grunya?' The dying man, horrified, asked how she knew. 'She told me herself,' Kakhovskaya replied.

Esipov confessed that Grusha was his last love, and he wanted to marry her. But he was told she was planning to run away with a serf actor. Pyotr Vasilyevich went to their meeting place and, seeing Grunya, could not restrain himself and strangled her. He faced no punishment, passing away a few days after his confession.