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Burghölzli-Zürich, 11 March 1909
Dear Professor Freud,
I must answer you at once. Your kind words have relieved and comforted me. You may rest assured, not only now but for the future,
that nothing Fliess-like is going to happen. I have experienced so much of that sort of thing; it has taught me to do the contrary at all times. Except for moments of infatuation my affection is lasting and reliable. It's just that for the past fortnight the devil has been tormenting me in the shape of neurotic ingratitude. But I shall not be unfaithful to ΨA1 on that account. On the contrary, I am learning from it how to do better in the future. You mustn't take on about my “theological” style, I just felt that way. Now and then, I admit, the devil does strike a chill into my—on the whole—blameless heart. The story hawked round by Muthmann is Chinese to me. I've never really had a mistress and am the most innocent of spouses. Hence my terrific moral reaction! I simply cannot imagine who it might have been. I don't think it is the same lady. Such stories give me the horrors.
I must congratulate you heartily on your American triumphs. I believe you will get an American practice in the end. My American has been behaving quite well so far. I am all agog for more news.
What you say about Jones is astonishing, but it fits in with certain expressions of his that have struck me.
My Agathli's achievements are guaranteed original: she has never heard of Little Hans. We simply listen and meddle as little as possible. A great outcry this morning: Mama must come—I want to go into your room—what is Papa doing?—But Mama won't have her in the room—“Then you must give me some sweets.” Later, when we had got up, Agathli hops in, jumps into my bed, lies flat on her stomach, flails and kicks out with her legs like a horse—“Is that what Papa does? That's what Papa does, isn't it?”2 At the end of next week I shall be in Vienna and will show you my material. My colleagues are encouraging me to write the