Chapter 2 Summary

It is four weeks later, and Dr. Josef Breuer is at his office in Vienna expecting a visit from Lou Salome. She arrives wet from the rain and immediately offers some suggestions as to how Dr. Breuer could treat her friend Nietzsche. She advises Dr. Breuer to not attempt hypnotism on him because his mind and intellect are too strong for it. She also tells Dr. Breuer that during the treatment he should not ally himself with her. She has been the major cause of his recent bout with despair. Dr. Breuer probes her on this.

Lou Salome tells Dr. Breuer about the "unholy Trinity" between herself, Friedrich Nietzsche, and their friend Paul Ree. She pulls out a picture of the two men and herself; the men are standing and she is in the cart holding a whip. She explains that she does...