It could be the opening of a film. Paris, 4 December 1920. A woman in her early 50s, who appears somewhat agitated, gets off an underground train and addresses two gendarmes. She says that she’s being followed and that other passengers were ridiculing her. She demands protection. The gendarmes have no idea what is going on. The woman becomes more and more upset, frustrated by their refusal to take action. In the end, she is so angry that she gives them a box on the ears. Then she is taken into custody.

In the following scene, she is taken to the Infirmerie Spéciale, a psychiatric crisis centre on Île de la Cité. The woman is sitting opposite a perfectly groomed man. The interview does not last long. He records her name (Léa-Anna B, 53 years of age) and jots down a few characteristics of her delusion. She believes that the king of England is in love with her, and that strangers are trying to rob her of her money. He refers her to the psychiatric institution Sainte-Anne. The certificate of admission is no more than ten lines long. The signature is: Dr de Clérambault.