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469F
Vienna, Berggasse 191
29 December 1924
Dear Friend,
Thank you for sending me the statutes, which will be very useful to us in the question of the extraordinary members.
That you would be conciliatory in the Rank affair was something that I only expected from your kindness and correctness. I cannot be surprised by your reserve in the matter. It can be explained by the fact that you do not know all the circumstances of the case and cannot have got from the letter a detailed impression of the individual concerned and his transformation. I know everything connected with it, know the whole sad story, and can say that I am sure that he has been cured of his neurosis by this experience, just as if he had gone through a proper analysis. He is, incidentally, still very depressed, understands the whole difficulty of his position, wants to go to America in the next few weeks and make good there the harm he has done, but he has no illusions about how much greater his difficulties will be than on the occasion of his first visit.
In the letter to Eitingon, which is going off at the same time, I expressed myself in rather greater detail over the whole thing.
As for the two scientific questions on which your letter touches, my attitude is different towards each. Concerning the first, the question of the female leading zone, I am quite eager to learn, look forward to your novelties in the matter, and have no preconceived ideas. With regard to the 7, I cannot suppress my sceptical expectation. I am very ready to believe that my idea will lead to nothing. But I doubt whether you are on the right track. Vederemo!2
It will only make our letters richer and livelier.
The date reminds me to express my heartfelt good wishes for the next year 1925 to you, your wife and children, though the change of year only plays the role of a commonplace agent provocateur.
Cordially yours,