The manager asks the curate if he's had a chance to speak with the chief. The curate says that he hasn't, but that he'd like to talk to someone who's "in vogue" now. The manager says that it's best for young people to go to people who have "backer" . He says that the curate is just a student, and that kindness can't get him far. He asks if the curate has read his prize-winning thesis, and the curate replies that he has, but he'll have to read it again before he decides whether or not to publish it. He also says that there's a lot of "burdens" on the curate's shoulders, since he has to publish his thesis in a foreign language . Sounds like a good idea, the manager says. He's also worried about his parents' reaction to the festival, and wonders if they're going to fight with him and his parents. He tells the manager that the festival is actually a good thing, because the prizes are so high-flown that they don't have time to waste. He then asks if he can have a drink at the bar next time he gets home, but the manager tells him that he had a prior commitment to go, so he should stay and rest. He thanks the manager for inviting him to the bar, and asks if she'll make him some tea. She says that she's going to have a conference with her mother the next day, and she'd be happy to have some tea with him