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. MRS. HUSHABYE. Quite a romance. And when did the Boss develop the tender passion? ELLIE. Oh, that was years after, quite lately. He took the chair one night at a sort of people's concert. I was singing there. As an amateur, you know: half a guinea for expenses and three songs with three encores. He was so pleased with my singing that he asked might he walk home with me. I never saw anyone so taken aback as he was when I took him home and introduced him to my father, his own manager. It was then that my father told me how nobly he had behaved. Of course it was considered a great chance for me, as he is so rich. And--and--we drifted into a sort of understanding--I suppose I should call it an engagement--[she is distressed and cannot go on]. MRS HUSHABYE [rising and marching about]. You may have drifted into it; but you will bounce out of it, my pettikins, if I am to have anything to do with it. ELLIE [hopelessly]. No: it's no use. I am bound in honor and gratitude. I will go through with it. MRS HUSHABYE [behind the sofa, scolding down at her]. You know, of course, that it's not honorable or grateful to marry a man you don't love. Do you love this Mangan man? ELLIE. Yes. At least-- MRS HUSHABYE. I don't want to know about "at least": I want to know the worst. Girls of your age fall in love with all sorts of impossible people, especially old people. ELLIE. I like Mr Mangan very much; and I shall always be-- MRS HUSHABYE [impatiently completing the sentence and prancing away intolerantly to starboard]. --grateful to him for his kindness to dear father. I know. Anybody else? ELLIE. What do you mean? MRS HUSHABYE. Anybody else? Are you in love with anybody else? ELLIE. Of course not. MRS HUSHABYE. Humph! [The book on the drawing-table catches her eye. She picks it up, and evidently finds the title very unexpected. She looks at Ellie, and asks, quaintly] Quite sure you're not in love with an actor? ELLIE. No, no. Why? What put such a thing into your head? MRS HUSHABYE. This is yours, isn't it? Why else should you be reading Othello? ELLIE. My father taught me to love Shakespeare. MRS HUSHAYE [flinging the book down on the table]. Really! your father does seem to be about the limit. ELLIE [naively]. Do you never read Shakespeare, Hesione? That seems to me so extraordinary. I like Othello. MRS HUSHABYE. Do you, indeed? He was jealous, wasn't he?