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lucia-pacciola t1_j9wd0jw wrote

Riches to rags to riches isn't quite the same thing.

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schadenfreudey t1_j9wj03b wrote

Did he come from riches though? I don’t think that is ever established. Mondego was rich and his best friend so I can see where that assumption would exist.

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lucia-pacciola t1_j9wkafb wrote

He was the senior officer of a trading ship belonging to a successful tradiing company. He was engaged to the daughter of the company's owner. He was well set up, career-wise, and stood to inherit a profitable business. Where he came from before that is not given much explanation, but he's definitely well off at the beginning of the story.

The story only works because he starts off with a lot to lose, and then loses it all.

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