Na gorah. V 2-h t.

Zapovednye kraya nizhegorodskogo Nagor'ya, protyanuvshiesya po beregam Volgi. Zdes' zhivut legendarnye svoimi prichudami kupcy–millionschiki, svyato sberegayuschie drevnyuyu veru raskol'niki, neistovo skachuschie na taynyh radeniyah sektanty–hlysty. Zdes' rascvetaet lyubov' Dunyashi Smolokurovoy i kupca Petra Samokvasova, da tol'ko cherez mnogie ispytaniya suzhdeno im proyti, prezhde chem obretut oni schast'e.