The man is longing for an escape from despondency and platitude of provincial life. " Is it true as people say that there is no interfering with one’s going mad? "

A new patient appears in a deserted hospital wing. An elderly doctor examines the new patient. The newcomer attracts the doctor’s attention: there is a gleam of reason in his eyes.

The doctor is at home. He spends his time in the company of the cook and his friend – postmaster. This has been his lifestyle for nearly all his life in this out of the way town 200 miles from the railway. These people have always been and will always be nearby.

Ward ¹ 6. The doctor frequently communicates with the new patient. The only reasonable man in the town, and this one has turned out to be mad! The small world which surrounds them, small dirty intrigues, importunate friends – everything disappears for some time.

" You know, there is a strange rumour circulating in the town: they say that ward ¹ 6 is frequented by the doctor? "

The doctor does not notice that his visiting the new patient so often is considered to be strange. What can the topics of such lengthy talks with the insane be? The doctor’s friends strongly recommend him to go travelling. The postmaster is ready to accompany him. " For the sake of your health you simply must have a rest to distract your mind and go on a trip! Let's go, we shall have a good time as we used to! "

The old friends’ trip. The postmaster does his best to entertain his fellow traveller; he takes photos and talks non-stop. All these niceties of the travel irritate the doctor, he dreams of being alone.

"Which of the two of us is mad? Me or this egotist, who thinks that he is the cleverest and the most interesting person, so he never leaves anyone in peace?"

Coming back home. The only person the doctor is eager to see is his new patient. But something wrong has happened to their friendship, the invisible link between them has broken. The doctor comes back home to see the housewife and the postmaster making love. The doctor falls in hysterics: "It is filthy! Leave me! There! Both of you, both! Go out, stupid vulgar people, silly people! Vulgarity, filth!!!"

The doctor is visited by his old friends.

His room turns into a hospital ward, chamber ¹ 6. The doctor tries to escape, but he is severely beaten.

There is only one way to escape from despondency and platitude of provincial life. That is death …