Féliat. And what are you now?
René. At any rate I am not quite useless any longer. I'm not a boy now, obliged to do what he's told because he's perfectly incapable of doing for himself.
Féliat. Have you found something to do?
René. I'm in phosphates.
Féliat. And what the devil are you in phosphates?
René. Representative.
Féliat. How do you mean?
René. A commercial traveller, as father said with great contempt.
Guéret. Well, it was not with a view to that sort of future that he had you called to the Bar.
René. At the Bar I could have earned my own living in about ten years—possibly. When I had to give up marrying Thérèse I saw how useless I was. Thanks to her I found myself out. She gave me a bit of her own courage. She woke up my self-respect. Besides, after that I had something to work for, an aim, and I seemed to understand why I was alive. I worked and read a lot; my firm noticed me; they sent me to Tunis. I asked them to let me give up clerk work and have a try on my own. Over there I got into touch with three small firms. I placed their goods. I earn four hundred francs a month. Next year I mean to start a little branch in this district where we will manufacture superphosphates. From now until then I shall travel about the district and try and get customers; and my wife—and Thérèse—will go on with her work here, if you will be so good as to keep her.