First Act

Widower Paul is mourning his wife Marie, who has recently died; he has transformed his home into a ‘temple of the past’.
Brigitta, a friend of the dead woman, shows Paul's old friend Frank around the widower's home. Every inch of the place speaks of Marie.
Later, Paul tells Frank that he has met a girl on the street who bears a remarkable resemblance to Marie; he has invited the girl to his home.
This girl, Marietta, does indeed come and visit Paul. Without explaining why, Paul asks Marietta to put on his dead wife's scarf and gives her a lute - thus recreating a picture of Marie. Marietta finds all this completely incomprehensible.
The voices of Marietta's friends are heard outside, and Marietta wants to look out of the window at the street. Paul prevents her; he is afraid that the neighbours might see her in his house and speak ill of him. Instead, Paul and Marietta quarrel about this. Marietta says she must leave at once, pointing out that Paul knows where to find her if he wants to see her again.
Meanwhile, Paul is gripped by extreme anxiety. He feels torn between his loyalty to Marie and the feelings that overwhelmed him during his meeting with Marietta. In an inner dialogue with his dead wife, Paul feels a great sense of guilt towards her and also recognises his reliance on her.

Second Act

Paul wanders the city streets at night; he wants to see Marietta again.
Suddenly he meets Brigitta, who is dressed as a nun. She says that she has left Paul because of his sins; she, unlike him, remains faithful to the memory of dead Marie.
Frank suddenly appears, and boasts to Paul that he has the key to Marietta's house. Paul realises that he and Frank are rivals. Paul snatches the key from Frank. Frank leaves.
Paul watches the boisterous celebrations of a group of townspeople from his window. A little later, Marietta joins them, flirting heavily with the men. Paul can no longer bear it. He leaves his sheltered position and tries to put a stop to what is going on. Marietta calms the situation by sending her friends away. A heated argument between her and Paul ensues. Marietta accuses Paul of desiring her only in order to find his dead wife again through her.
Marietta wants to destroy the invisible ties that bind Paul to the dead Marie - Paul must love her, Marietta, for her own sake. Paul cannot bear the thought that Marietta might leave him. He is ready to give in to her.

Third Act

Marietta wakes up in Paul's house, where they have been living together for some time. A religious festival is taking place in the city that day. Paul watches the ceremonial procession from his window. He does not allow Marietta to stand next to him, however, because he is afraid that someone might see them together.
Marietta finds the role Paul has assigned her in his life increasingly unbearable. She finds the constant comparisons with his dead wife demeaning. She requires Paul's full attention. Paul asks Marietta not to compare herself to Marie, who was a model of purity. Marietta in turn accuses him of hypocrisy: he dreams of his dead wife's purity and at the same time desires the body of the ‘corrupt woman’. Paul is furious. He accuses Marietta of depravity and tries to throw her out. But Marietta is not willing to submit; she begins to play with his ‘relics’ - objects Paul has kept which belonged to his dead wife - and make fun of them. An angry, violent confrontation ensues, which ultimately results in Paul killing Marietta.