Poor and unhappy, Rafael leaves Pauline and tries his luck at the roulette, but loses his last coin. Fate gifts him with the miraculous "Shagreen leather" that fulfills all wishes. In his new, luxurious life he wins the heart of wonderful Foedora. But with the power of the leather comes a rule: for every fulfilled wish it becomes shorter, and so does the life of its owner. Using the leather abundantly, Rafael soon spends his time.