The poorly paid Vienna university lecturer Arno Linder is once again plagued by financial worries. Just when he needs it, an old acquaintance asks him for a favor. Brother Erich, the secretary and confidant of Vienna's Cardinal Gutbrunn, has a strange request: a small private credit office accepts the souls of its clients as collateral. Mother Church is, of course, concerned and wants to gather information. The prospect of extra income and his own curiosity push Arno to take on the task. Little does he know that he will soon find himself knee-deep in new troubles...