Barley Scott Blair, a Lisbon-based editor of Russian literature who unexpectedly begins working for British intelligence, is commissioned to investigate the purposes of Dante, a dissident scientist trapped in the decaying Soviet Union that is crumbling under the new open-minded policies.

Aggravated by sins, prematurely aged Gio opens the way to the sudden salvation of the soul, it turns out how he needs fatherly love and faith in healing for his little, crippled boy.