I suppose your father had no head for business, and
made a mess of it.
ELLIE. Oh, that just shows how entirely you are mistaken about
him. The business turned out a great success. It now pays
forty-four per cent after deducting the excess profits tax.
MRS HUSHABYE. Then why aren't you rolling in money?
ELLIE. I don't know. It seems very unfair to me. You see, my
father was made bankrupt. It nearly broke his heart, because he
had persuaded several of his friends to put money into the
business. He was sure it would succeed; and events proved that he
was quite right. But they all lost their money. It was dreadful.
I don't know what we should have done but for Mr Mangan.
MRS HUSHABYE. What! Did the Boss come to the rescue again, after
all his money being thrown away?
ELLIE. He did indeed, and never uttered a reproach to my father.
He bought what was left of the business--the buildings and the
machinery and things--from the official trustee for enough money
to enable my father to pay six-and-eight-pence in the pound and
get his discharge. Everyone pitied Papa so much, and saw so
plainly that he was an honorable man, that they let him off at
six-and-eight-pence instead of ten shillings. Then Mr. Mangan
started a company to take up the business, and made my father a
manager in it to save us from starvation; for I wasn't earning
anything then.
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