Man's Success.

A pot of Tea was awaiting our return. At my insistence, I prepared both mine and Mrs. Gottlieb's to our respective preferences, and as I sat down and served her her cup, I said, "And what is this Great Secret of Women that you were about to tell me about, Mrs. Gottlieb?"

"The Secret, Mr. McKay, is of how Man rose to be Masters of the World," she replied, with a small smile and daintily stirring her tea. "And how we Women are Key as to How."

"Is that right?" I said, crossing my legs and giving her my own mirthful smile. "Do enlighten me."

"Well, it is a simply trivial thing, and has been known to all Women since before ancient History," she began, "all that is needed for a Man to achieve true Greatness are the fulfillment of two pursuits: A full Stomach, and empty Testicles."

I sputtered into my tea in laughter. "There are nobler and grander pursuits than those I'm sure, Mrs. Gottlieb! What about Adventure? Prosperity? Stability, Conquest, Discovery?!"

She nodded along. "Of course there are. But can you think of Adventure, Prosperity, Stability and all that, when all you've eaten that week is a stale half-loaf of Bread?"

"Hm... I suppose not," I mused, "but what about the latter? Surely an unsatisfied Man can channel that energy into something more productive?"

"Productive? Perhaps. However it would be quite Chaotic and Ugly, wouldn't it?"

"And you pose that a satisfied man is capable of Order and Beauty?"

"Well... less likely to resort to **** anyway," she sighed. She looked out to her window, and possibly beyond. "In the time you've spent in Madsin, have you seen or heard of any sort of ****?"

"None that I can personally recall," I replied. Pausing for a moment to drink, I pondered. "Do you mean that, because of the...Freedom that this commune has, regarding... sex, or at least the Freedom to pursue it and have it satisfied, that you think that Madosin will never fall to Chaos?"

She merely shrugged. "One hopes."

As I sat and thought as to how a woman's ability to provide both a full stomach and satisfaction, could somehow lead to creating empires that lasted centuries, one of their manservant's entered the room, looking quite distressed. He was a younger lad, but looked like he earned a man's wage. "Begging your pardon Miss," he said quickly, shifting from one foot to the other, his eyes flitting from me to Mrs. Gottlieb, "but an important caller has come for you."