The forester Auer is found killed on a Sunday in the forest, and the police begins a feverish search for the culprit. Only pastor Gruber already knows who it is. It is Hannes Reyer, son of the richest farmer in the region, who has confessed the act of murder to him. Gruber, however, is bound to his obligation to secrecy. But when the young Ernst Nortinger is arrested under suspicion for murder, he knows what he has to do and relinquishes his priesthood in order to report Hannes to the police. But things don’t get so far, as Hannes dies in an accident during an altercation with the priest. Nonetheless, Gruber does not return to his office. In quiescence, he wants to find out whether he still can handle the burden of the priesthood. Senior pastor Bachmayer however is convinced that he will return.

Vienna during the fin de siecle. Farmer's daughter Anuschka has to sell the farm after her father's death to the rich but mean farmer's wife Nowarek and her friendly son Jaro. Anuschka goes to Vienna and starts to work as a housemaid until she is wrongly accused of theft.