Six years have passed since the frustrated Krechinsky wedding. It would seem that the landowner Muromsky, his sister Atueva and daughter Lidochka should live in peace in a village, having forgotten about the "dirty" story with a fake diamond.

But why are they again in the capital, this time in St. Petersburg? Why live here last money, selling and mortgaging estates? Why does Lidochka sob and dry? ..

Disaster struck. And the name of this disaster is Deed. It has been under investigation for five years. All judicial and appeal instances have already been circumvented - from the Civil and CRIMINAL Chambers to the Governing Senate. And so many papers have accumulated in this matter that they “carry them from presence to presence at the scrap”!

But what's the deal? Is Krechinsky really caught on the judicial hook? Oh no! Strange as it may seem, the case is called the Murom case. The investigation is conducted against Lidochka. They suspect her! And in what ?! First of all, she knew about Krechinsky’s intention to rob Muromsky. Secondly, she helped him with this. And thirdly, she provided this criminal assistance to him because she was in unlawful love affair with him.

But this is nonsense! .. Can it be that the Russian officials - “Heads”, “Strengths” and “Subordinates”, as the author of the play classified them in the section “Actors”, do not see how far these suspicions are from the essence of the matter? Or are they complete idiots ?! AN no - bright heads! And this is better understood than others by the burnt, but in his own way, noble player Krechinsky. “They want to take a bribe from you - give; the consequences of your refusal can be cruel, ”he warns Muromsky in a letter sent at the beginning of the investigation. The ability to grab a large bribe - that’s the whole point of the case for the judge’s hook hooks.

It is for this purpose that they are turning the investigation against the daughter of Murom. There’s nothing to take from Krechinsky. However, they tried to “take” him: he was “made an offer to make some testimony regarding honor” of Lidochka. But Krechinsky did not agree. However, this did not save Lidochka. “Necessary” testimony was given by Rasplyuev and the cook of Murom.

And now those “cruel consequences” are coming about, about which Krechinsky warned. Lidochka was already dragged into the matter - they really want to give her “confrontations”. And with whom! With the cook Petrushka, with the fraudster Rasplyuyev, and even on the subject of her adultery with Krechinsky!

On all sides of Murom persuade to bow to the "Baal idol" - the Official - to offer him a sacrifice, to give a bribe! Particularly insists on this, the manager of the estates of Murom Ivan Sidorov Razuvaev, a man who is cordially devoted to the family. From his own experience, he knows that there is no other way out of the clawed claws of a diabolical bureaucratic tribe.

You can hint about a bribe through a trusted person. And there is such a person. This is a college adviser (from the category of "Forces") Candid Kastorovich Tarelkin. He seems to be trying to help Muromsky, visits their apartment, gives advice. And most importantly, he serves under the leadership of a real state adviser Maxim Kuzmich Varravin, in whose hands is the case.

Reluctantly, Murom agrees to act through Tarl-kin. Razuvaev with peasant agility makes it clear to Tarelkin that his master wants to meet with Varravin. And with the same dexterity he gives Tarelkin a bribe - he “lubricates the wheels”. Tarelkin promises to arrange a Murom reception at Varravin. Now the matter will be settled. Moreover, Tarelkin, as assured by Muromsky Razuvaev, did not accidentally reduce his acquaintance with the family: “this is a submission,” the savvy man asserts. And he is right.

Tarelkin is not just a subordinate - he is "an approximate person to Varravin." He immediately reports to the chief about the success of the enterprise, and at the same time about the material circumstances of the family — which estates were sold, which were mortgaged, that is, how much money can now be torn from the petitioner. “It’s impossible to have a special mass!” - warns Tarelkin, although he is vitally interested in the “special mass”: firstly, he arranged the matter half, and, therefore, the boss must share with him, and secondly, Tarelkin’s position is poor - there is a decent position and rank, and penniless When “Power and Chance” is presented, Tarelkin himself will wrap anyone “before exhaustion, naked!”. But now the case is not the same. The circumstances of Murom are difficult. Varravin is burning with the desire to grab a fortune - as much as 30 thousand! Well, no - "enough." The petitioner barely scratches 25. Well, so much will go! Well, no, the petitioner still needs to pay debts ... With great difficulty, Tarelkin manages to moderate the ardor of the boss to 20 thousand.

And Muromsky is already in Varravin’s office. There is a bargain.

Muromsky, with his innocent nature, assures us that the goods by which the goddess of justice Themis in the person of Varravin trades on his scales is essentially simple. The case is only "from the proceedings received such confusion."

But Varravin shows Muromsky how thin and cunning, and therefore, expensive goods. After all, the matter is “rocking and double-edged” - it is such that “if you lead there, then everything will go there <...> and if you lead here, then everything <...> will go here”. Like this? And so: two witnesses - Rasplyuev and police officer Lapa - showed during interrogation that Lidochka, giving the usurer a genuine diamond, exclaimed: "it was my mistake!", Other witnesses - Muromsky and Atueva himself - say that she simply said: "It was a mistake." That's where the trick is! If it’s just a “mistake”, then Lidochka is not guilty of anything, and if she “used the pronoun“ mine ”, then this means that Lidochka is a direct participant in the crime, Krechinsky’s mistress and so on. This is where the whole enormous work rests, while maintaining "rocking and double-edgedness" - the most important properties that make it possible to take boldly and a lot "under the shadow and shadow of the dense forest of laws", without fear of the highest authorities. It will not ask - and for what reason is it suddenly led to “there, not here”? Does it smell like a bribe? No, the law allows Varravin to rely on the testimony of any of a pair of witnesses. So in his hands not only the scales of Themis, but also her punishing sword. And where this sword hits - depends, of course, on the amount of the bribe.

But with the sum, Varravin just “grabbed” - did not listen to Ta-relkin! Inspired by the bewilderment of the supplicant, he demands not 20, but 24 thousand, and, moreover, silver! And this is 84 thousand for banknotes - the cost of the family estate of Murom! Well, sell it and go around the world ?! So no !! He will not give the official Streshnevo - “the ashes of the fathers” and “grandfathers property”! He will now go not to the "Forces", but to the "Heads" - to the Important Person, "Privy Advisor" and "Prince of Birth", in whose management the entire department is located. Already he will help his brother nobleman, and he does not need money - he is rich!

These thoughts of Murom, expressed alone with himself, are overheard by Tarelkin. He immediately reports to Varravin about the petitioner's intention to seek the truth above. The catches are floating away! After all, the prince may indeed be struck by such nonsense - descend to the grief of the landowner: he is a man of mood. The last circumstance just takes Varravin into account, and therefore he is calm. He orders Tarelkin to arrange so that Murom gets to the reception of His Excellency "the soda itself", that is, in the morning when the Prince, who suffers from a stomach, takes soda water and is in a very bad mood. And Tarelkin arranges it.

The petitioner at the reception. And everything is going fine. While the unfortunate Muromsky confusedly and confusedly explains that the case “was made up of nothing, wound itself up,” the Prince, tormented by stomach cramps, swells and rubs his stomach - of course, he doesn’t care! Varravin, who is present right there, is already celebrating victory in his soul. But what is this ?! Where is the conversation heading ?! In tartarara! Enraged by the brilliant official’s indifference to the case and to him, the nobleman and the old officer who fought with Bonaparte for the Tsar and the Fatherland, Murom dares the Prince! Bears the laws !!! Courts !!! Scandal! Riot! Drag him to the police! .. Or to the yellow house! - He was wounded in the head near Mozhaisk ... Murom is being put out.

And now the Prince already has a case for the Murom case. He orders Varravin to select from the investigative documents those “material facts” that make him suspicious of the criminal connection between the “girl” and the “well done” Krechinsky, and “turn the whole Case to re-investigation and to the strictest ... strictest” - against the Muromskys. Varravine in despair. The prince has “spoiled” everything. The case loses its “double-edgedness”. The bribe breaks! After all, Murom "is dangerous. If you take it, but he can’t do anything, he’ll probably make a scandal. ” But it is no longer possible to turn the matter “this way and that” - it has already been turned by the “Heads”. What to do?!

Tarelkin tells him to take it! After all, the prince was convinced that the petitioner was out of his mind - “there is no faith for him,” let him be scandalous ... Great idea! Varravin pretends that he accepts it entirely. Yes, he will take. But Tarelkin does not even suspect that the boss had another idea ripened, much more subtle, full of sophisticated bureaucratic treachery!

The family, which was finally killed by the fact that Lidochka is threatened with complete dishonesty - a medical examination for her virginity (now the case was taken by the will of the “Heads” and the joy of “Strength”), is ready to give any bribe. Varravin now asks for 30 thousand. Well! They collect money together - even Razuvaev contributes his share, family diamonds are sold. The amount is compiled and packaged.

Varravin is waiting for Murom with this package in his office. Getting ready to take. However strange gives orders. For some reason he orders Tarelkin to call the executor Ivan Andreevich Zhivts and put him in the waiting room. Further is even more amazing.

Is the petitioner. Varravin closes with him in his office. Muromsky leaves the office, inspired by hope: he handed over the bag of money to Varravin, and, thank God, he promised to settle the matter! Murom leaves. Varravin immediately appears in the office door. In his hands is a bag of money - the same one that he received from Murom. He tells the executor to stay in place. He calls the courier and demands that he immediately catch up and return the petitioner. Murom lead. Varravin throws him a bag of money with a picture gesture: Varravin does not take bribes! you can’t buy it !! Let Muromsky take the money and get out with his dirty work! Otherwise, Varravin will “present” him with “all the severity of laws” for giving a bribe to a government official - the executor is a witness ...

Complete nonsense! Varravin did not take it! Is he an idiot ?! No, bright head! Money in the package is already far from 30 thousand. There are only 1350 rubles! Varravin took it. But he took it so that the Important Person and the Very Important Person - the fathers-superiors, who came to the noise, as well as other persons became witnesses to his integrity. Varravin defeated everyone, including Tarelkin, who did not get anything, although he guessed belatedly the boss’s plan. As for the old man of Murom, a blow happened to him in the department. He was taken home. There he gave his soul to God. Now he will not say anything at the investigation. However, before his death, at the moment when Muromsky was still in the department, in one of the highest official places of the state among the barbarian, live bait and platelet, he had already said everything that he was able to say: "here ... they are robbing! .. I say out loud - rob !!! "