A visiting antiquarian recounts arriving in a provincial town to see a recently unearthed bronze statue discovered under an olive tree. The statue is celebrated as an archaeological treasure but seems to carry a malign presence after accidents during its raising and increasing unease among the household. When the owner's son becomes engaged, the object intrudes into the domestic and social life, culminating in a violent death that leaves the wedding ring on the bronze hand. The narrative balances antiquarian detail, local gossip, and a steadily mounting suggestion of either rational explanation or supernatural agency.