Sämtliche Werke 21 : Der Spieler. Der ewige Gatte : Zwei Romane

A young tutor arrives in a bustling spa town, expecting a warm welcome from the aristocratic family he serves. Instead, he finds himself caught in a maze of polite resistance, cryptic remarks, and the looming presence of roulette tables. The narrator’s sharp eye picks up the subtle power plays of the proud General, the fleeting attentions of the enigmatic Polina, and the uneasy tension that swirls around the beautiful yet troubled Marja. As he navigates daily duties and the lure of quick fortunes, his thoughts turn obsessively to the game that promises both escape and ruin, setting the stage for a gripping battle between reason and compulsion.

The companion novella shifts to a quieter, yet equally unsettling scene: a grieving widower receives a puzzling letter that hints at his late wife’s secret life. When a stranger arrives, claiming to be the “eternal husband” she once loved, the protagonist is forced to confront doubts about love, loyalty, and the shadows that linger after death. Both stories explore how desire and pride can drive ordinary people into extraordinary turmoil, all rendered with Dostoevsky’s penetrating psychological insight.