About the book: 2001 / The story in the story "The Family of the Ghoul" is told by the old marquis, Monsieur d'Ufre, one of the members of the diplomatic congress held in Vienna in 1815. In the evening, by the fireplace, he told the assembled company a true incident that happened to him during his youth, in 1759, when on diplomatic service he went to the ruler in Moldavia. On the way to Iasi, he stopped in a small village and was accommodated in the house of a local peasant. The head of the house, old man Gorcha, a man of a restless and unyielding disposition, went to the mountains with other daredevils in search of the Turkish robber Alibek, and strictly punished his two sons George and Putra that if he did not return in ten days, then he could be considered killed, but if he returns later than the specified period, then for the sake of their own salvation, they should not let Gorcha into the house. We must forget that he is their father, and no matter what he says, drive a stake into his heart, because... then he will no longer be a person. On the day when d'Ufre arrived here, the time allotted by Gorem was just about to expire. Ten days ago the old man left exactly at eight o'clock in the evening, and today at exactly the same time he appeared on the road. So it was unclear whether the deadline had expired or not yet. In general, during those days while d'Ufre was staying in this house, a terrible tragedy happened: the eldest son of George, who had long suspected the old man to be a ghoul, died. And then d'Ufre went to carry out the assignment, but six months later, returning from Iasi, he again stopped by that village. But it was already empty and deserted, and here the Marquis d'Ufré experienced the most terrible adventure of his life. He almost found himself in the clutches of crowds of vampires, among whom were the entire Gorchi family and other peasant families. Young d'Ufre escaped only thanks to the speed of his horse, his own courage and happy providence. But to this day he shudders at the thought that if his enemies had defeated him then, he too would have become a ghoul.