James Davies, a new Ph.D. student, arrives at a small university in Indiana and knocks gently on the door of the office of Professor Glencora Watkins. Meanwhile, Dr. Lidell, the diminutive, somewhat goatish philologist, is summoned to a meeting in the school's old stone chapel to discuss a recently-arrived statue of the Virgin Mary, in whose arms there lies either a corpse or a relic, depending on one's point of view. Also in the box is a manuscript containing a very interesting play, which James reluctantly agrees to direct on campus. Odd things begin to happen...