The story unfolds in pre-revolutionary Russia on a bleak autumn night. Judicial investigator Grishutkin and Doctor Svistitsky set out to perform an autopsy, but torrential rain drives them to the home of retired General Yezhov. Here, supper, card games, and chance encounters distract the travelers from their duty. Their journey continues with stops and fresh temptations, revealing the comedy of everyday frailties and the discrepancy between words and deeds.
