
The story opens on a bright June day as a procession of cars snakes its way toward the forest of Boulogne, a symbol of the sprawling, international capitalism that dominates the era. Among the gleaming vehicles sits a French financier, an American billionaire, and a Finnish department chief named Johannes Tamminen, who has spent five years climbing the corporate ladder for Rabbing’s million‑dollar network. He travels to Paris with his wife, their young daughter Seidi, and a caretaker, hoping the trip will finally place him among the privileged few who control the world’s wealth.
Johannes’s outward success masks a deeper turmoil. Though he has secured profitable stock deals and amassed a modest fortune, he is haunted by a persistent shame that follows him from boardrooms to cafés. His marriage, once a source of stability, now feels strained, and his love for his bright‑eyed daughter offers the only glimpse of genuine warmth. As he navigates the glittering streets of the capital, he wrestles with the question of whether the pursuit of money can ever satisfy the yearning for a more meaningful life.
Language
fi
Duration
~3 hours (197K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-12-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1878–1926
A central voice in Finnish literature, this poet helped shape modern Finnish-language verse by blending folk tradition, myth, and a deeply personal lyric touch. His work remains widely loved in Finland for its musical language and recurring themes of nature, love, and sorrow.
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