May 1705. France is on the verge of bankruptcy. The era of the “Sun King” has come to an end. Reveler and bon vivant Philippe d'Orléans, nephew of Louis XIV and regent for the young Louis XV, in between balls and alcove adventures, is looking for a way out of a difficult situation. And a way out has been found. Scottish financier-sorcerer John Lowe presents the regent with a revolutionary idea: to replace specie with paper notes. At first glance, it’s a pure gamble, but Lowe is the son of a goldsmith and a banker; he traveled halfway around the world, communicating with the best financiers in Europe. His original “system” is mathematically calculated and proven. But can one trust a man who is rumored to have been a cunning gambler and a dangerous duelist in the past who escaped from prison? The historical novel by the famous English writer William Harrison Ainsworth tells about the rise and fall of John Law (1671-1729), a brilliant gentleman and courtier , a brilliant reformer and adventurer.