
Produced by Tapio Riikonen
OLLI KARILA
The story opens in a dazzling casino where marble walls, electric lights, and the relentless spin of roulette wheels create a feverish backdrop of wealth and risk. Among the glittering tables, a parade of aristocrats, officers, and hopeful gamblers chase fortunes, their faces flushed with anticipation or the sting of loss. Overseeing the chaos from a lofty chair sits the enigmatic Grand Prince Ivan Ivanovich, his composure unshaken even as the dice fall against him.
Beside the prince, his confidant Matvei Matvejevich watches with a growing mix of frustration and reluctant loyalty. The prince’s continual betting drains not only his own purse but also the hopes of those who depend on his winnings, leaving Matvei to wrestle with quiet resentment and a sense of duty. As the night wears on, their uneasy partnership hints at deeper entanglements—political intrigue, personal sacrifice, and a journey that will test the limits of friendship and ambition.
Language
fi
Duration
~5 hours (300K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2018-06-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1897–1936
A Finnish journalist-novelist who brought a quick pace and a sly sense of humor to early popular fiction. His stories move easily between adventure, suspense, and light comedy, with the sharp eye of someone who knew the newspaper world from the inside.
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