The story follows an unnamed narrator who visits the Church of St. Barnabé. As he makes himself comfortable, he is encountered by an unknown fear which he manages to dismiss at the sight of the solemnity and beauty of the church. He begins to listen to the organ, whose tones anger him with their bombastic nature. Nobody else appears to notice. He then sees the organ-player leave and is calmed. However, as he looks around and sees that "the same man was coming out from behind the organ, and was passing along the gallery the same way", he is at first brought out of balance but puts this down to a mistake at having reckoned the passed time.