A patient described how, during previous treatment, her therapist had taken extreme measures to avoid social contact with her. She interpreted these efforts as manifestations of the therapist's positive feelings for her. The author was able to confirm that the previous therapist had had a positive countertransference toward the patient, against which he employed as a defense the analytic rule of anonymity without being fully aware that he was doing so. The rules of analytic technique can be employed in the service of defense.