In an ordinary town in the Russian province, news of an inspector general's visit alarms officials and notables. It will be necessary to conceal the wretchedness of public administration, to make people believe that everything is working perfectly, to prevent inefficiency and dishonesty from surfacing. The turmoil is such that a passing young man is mistaken for the mysterious controller. Honored by all and enticed by increasingly brazen offers of money, he exploits the situation as much as he can and vanishes just before the misunderstanding is discovered and the arrival of the real inspector is announced.