The action takes place in Russia at the end of the 19th century, in the fictional Trans-Volga province. The synodal inspector Bubentsov comes from the capital to the provincial center, the city of Zavolzhsk, with the task of conducting an investigation into the appearance of manifestations of paganism in the province and the suppression of such, by converting apostates to true Orthodoxy. In the course of his investigation, he goes out to the zytyakov - a local people, although they have adopted Christianity, but still retaining many pagan beliefs and customs. Local residents, including the supreme authorities, the governor and the bishop-lord, do not at all agree to meet the inspector in his case - they have lived side by side with the beggars for many years, are accustomed to their neighborhood and do not want to arrange any repressions on religious grounds. However, Bubentsov, intending to curry favor with the capital's chief prosecutor, is not at all going to back down from his plan.
