Ludmila Burešová

Five crime stories connected by the narration of police superintendent Bartosek.

People are afraid of the usurer Chazaj and are convinced that he is the bearer of evil. One day Chazaj pays a visit to the poor artist Simon Jordán and asks him to paint his portrait. Simon agrees but as he progresses with the work his mind conjures up terrible thoughts and in the end he commits suicide. The portrait looks lifelike and Chazaj is content with the results. After Chazaj's death the picture changes hands and brings misfortune to all who own it. The last victim is the young painter Roman who buys Chazaj's portrait in a bazaar. He finds a treasure in the frame and begins to live well off it. The comfortable life suits him so well that he rejects his original artistic aims and becomes a painter of fashionable kitsch.

Mr. Novák, an insurance company clerk, only cares about his job, nothing else interests him. Even the social changes in February 1948 leave him indifferent. He only becomes aware of them when the insurance company is closed down. He has to make a decision: either retire or go to work in a factory. Neither of these options appeals to Mr. Novák...

The shopkeeper František Diviš offers cheap goods at the fairs, while the co-owner of the traveling variety show Bohouš Vosáhlo offers unpretentious folk entertainment. They therefore meet very often. Neither of them earns a comfortable living from their work, but they do not allow themselves to worry unnecessarily. However, this changes when a little boy enters their lives. Pepík is an orphan, there is no one to take care of him, and both fairground vendors cannot resist the plea in the children's eyes...