Dream 1. Northern Tavria, October 1920

There is a conversation in the cell of the monastery church. Budyonnovtsy just arrived and checked the documents. Golubkov, a young Petersburg intellectual, wonders where the reds came from when the area is in the hands of whites. Barabanchikova, pregnant, lying right there, explains that the general, who was sent a message that the Reds was in the rear, had postponed the decryption. To the question, where is the headquarters of General Charnot, Barabanchikov does not give a direct answer. Serafima Korzukhina, a young Petersburg lady who flees with Golubkov to the Crimea to meet her husband, offers to call a midwife, but Madame refuses. The clatter of hooves and the voice of the white commander de Brisard are heard. Recognizing him, Barabanchikova throws off the rags and appears in the form of General Charnota. He explains to de Brizar and the run-in wife Lucia that his friend Drummers in a hurry gave him documents not his own, but his pregnant wife. Charnotha offers an escape plan. Then the seraphim begins to heat - it is typhoid. Golubkov leads Seraphim into a gig. Everyone is leaving.

Dream 2. Crimea, early November 1920

Hall of the station turned into the headquarters of white. Where the buffet was, General Khludov sits. He is sick with something, twitches. Korzukhin, a friend of the Minister of Trade, husband of Seraphim, asks to push cars with valuable fur goods to Sevastopol. Khludov orders to burn these compounds. Korzukhin asks about the situation at the front. Khludov hisses that the Reds will be here tomorrow. Korzukhin promises to report everything to the commander in chief. A convoy appears, followed by the white commander in chief and Archbishop of Africa. Khludov informs the commander in chief that the Bolsheviks are in the Crimea. African prays, but Khludov believes that God has departed from the whites. Commander leaves. Seraphim runs in, followed by Golubkov and the messenger Charnota Krapilin. Seraphim screams that Khludov does nothing, but only hangs. Staff whisper that this is a communist. Golubkov says she is raving, she has typhoid. Khludov calls Korzukhin, but he, sensing a trap, renounces Seraphim. Seraphim and Golubkova are led away, and Krapilin, in oblivion, calls Khludov a world beast and speaks of a war that Khludov does not know. He objects that he went to Chongar and was wounded there twice. Krapilin, having regained consciousness, prays for mercy, but Khludov orders to hang him for "starting well, ending badly."

Dream 3. Crimea, early November 1920

The counterintelligence chief Tikhiy, threatening with a deadly needle, forces Golubkov to show that Serafima Korzukhina is a member of the Communist Party and has come for propaganda. Forcing him to write a testimony, Silent releases him. Skunsky, a counterintelligence officer, estimates that Korzukhin will give $ 10,000 to pay off. Quiet shows that the share of Skunsky is 2000. They introduce Seraphim, she is in the heat. Quiet gives her a testimony. Outside the window with the music is the cavalry of Charnothy. Seraphim, having read the paper, knocks out the window glass with his elbow and calls for help to Charnoth. He runs in and defends Seraphim with a revolver.

Dream 4. Crimea, early November 1920

The Commander-in-Chief says that for a year Khludov has been covering up his hatred for him. Khludov admits that he hates the commander-in-chief for being involved in this, that you cannot work, knowing that everything is in vain. Khludov alone speaks with a ghost, wants to crush him ... Golubkov enters, he came to complain about the crime committed by Khludov. He turns around. Golubkov in a panic. He came to tell the commander in chief about the arrest of Seraphim and wants to know her fate. Khludov asks the esaul to deliver her to the palace if she is not shot. Golubkov is terrified of these words. Khludov justifies himself before the ghost-messenger and asks him to leave his soul. To the question of Khludov, who is Seraphim to him, Golubkov answers that she is an accidental oncoming person, but he loves her. Khludov says she was shot. Golubkov is furious, Khludov throws a revolver at him and tells someone that his soul is double. Yesaul enters with a report that Seraphim is alive, but today Charnotha repulsed her with weapons and took her to Constantinople. Khludov is waiting on the ship. Golubkov asks to take him to Constantinople, Khludov is sick, speaks with the messenger, they leave. Darkness.

Dream 5. Constantinople, summer 1921

Street of Constantinople. Hanging cockroach advertising. Charnota, drunk and gloomy, approaches the box office of the cockroach races and wants to put on credit, but Arthur, the “cockroach king”, refuses him. Chornota yearns, recalls Russia. He sells silver gazyri and a box of his toys for 2 lira 50 piastres, puts all the money received on the favorite of Janissar. People are gathering. Cockroaches living in a box "under the supervision of a professor," fleeing with paper riders. Shout: "Janissary crashes!" It turns out that Arthur drank a cockroach. All who put on the Janissary rush to Arthur, he calls the police. The beautiful prostitute encourages the Italians who beat the British, who put on another cockroach. Darkness.

Dream 6. Constantinople, summer 1921

Charnota quarrels with Lucy, lies to her that the box and gazyr have been stolen, she realizes that Charnota has lost money, and admits that she is a prostitute. She reproaches him that he, the general, defeated counterintelligence and was forced to flee the army, and now he is begging. Charnotha objects: he saved Seraphim from death. Lucy reproaches Seraphim for inaction and leaves for the house. Golubkov enters the courtyard, plays the barrel organ. Charnotha assures him that Seraphim is alive, and explains that she went to the panel. Seraphim comes with a Greek hung with shopping. Golubkov and Charnota rush at him, he runs away. Golubkov tells Seraphim about love, but she leaves with the words that she will die alone. The outgoing Lucy wants to open the package of the Greek, but Charnota does not. Lucy takes a hat and reports that he is leaving for Paris. Khludov enters in civilian clothes - he is demoted from the army. Golubkov explains that he found her, she left, and he will go to Paris to Korzukhin — he is obliged to help her. He will be helped to cross the border. He asks Khludov to take care of her, not to leave the panel, Khludov promises and gives 2 lira and a medallion. Chornota is traveling with Golubkov to Paris. They are going away. Darkness.

Dream 7. Paris, fall of 1921.

Golubkov asks Korzukhin for a loan of 1000 dollars for Seraphim. Korzukhin does not, says that he was not married and wants to marry his Russian secretary. Golubkov calls him a terrible, soulless man and wants to leave, but Charnota arrives, who says that he would have signed up with the Bolsheviks to shoot him, and would have executed him by shooting. Seeing the cards, he offers Korzukhin to play and sells him the Khludov medallion for $ 10. As a result, Charnotha wins $ 20,000, redeems for 300 medallion. Korzukhin wants to return the money, Lucy runs to his cry. Charnota is amazed, but does not betray her. Lucy despises Korzukhin. She assures him that he himself lost the money and will not return it. Everyone disagrees. Lyusya quietly shouts out the window to Golubkov’s shore of Seraphim, and Charnota bought his pants. Darkness.

Dream 8. Constantinople, autumn 1921.

Khludov alone talks to the ghost of the messenger. He is tormented. Seraphim enters, tells him that he is sick, is executed, that she released Golubkov. She is going to return to Peter. Khludov says that he will also return, and under his own name. The seraphim is terrified, it seems to her that they will shoot him. Khludov is glad of this. They are interrupted by a knock on the door. This is Charnota and Golubkov. Khludov and Charnota leave, Seraphim and Golubkov confess each other their love. Khludov and Charnota return. Charnota says that he will stay here, Khludov wants to return. Everyone dissuades him. He calls Charnot with him, but he refuses: he has no hatred for the Bolsheviks. He's leaving. Golubkov wants to return the medallion to Khludov, but he gives it to a couple, and they leave. Khludov alone writes something, rejoices that the ghost has disappeared. He goes to the window and shoots himself in the head. Dark.