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Vienna IX, Berggasse 19
20.1.25
Dearest Lou†
I hear that you have postponed your departure for Berlin. I must now ask you to let me know as soon as possible whether and for how long you will be staying in Göttingen. Because I have a patient for you, who will probably visit you in the very near future. I think I can guarantee that she will come to Göttingen, but it is not so certain that she would be able to manage Berlin.
She is another case of agoraphobia,180 and probably a quite similar piece of goods to our Frau M. She comes from B., is about thirty-one years old, the mother of several children and, as it seems to me, thoroughly depraved in character. The last experience she has had to go through was a six-month treatment by Stekel. The fact that she remained impervious to his imbecile suggestions cannot be counted to her discredit. But it will probably be a hard nut to crack. They are wealthy people, and they have been warned by me that they undertake the attempt at their own risk. They have been told that you must have some six months before you can say whether you believe that success is possible. Then a further decision can be made.
The woman's husband is a primitive sort of person, very much in love with his own misfortune, but he toys with the idea of being divorced from this misfortune. She seems to know what power she has over him. The most satisfactory member of the clan is a young lawyer, Dr. R. H., well intentioned, intelligent and well informed. I hope that he will accompany the patient, when she comes to see you. You can have implicit confidence in all he tells you.
I am sending by the same post a letter to B., pressing for a speedy decision. For various reasons it would be much better if the treatment could be carried out in Göttingen rather than in Vienna or Berlin.
Today business only—which includes the fact that I bid you