- That morning, Karenin performs two tasks. He receives a delegation from the provincial racial minorities currently visiting Moscow, and writes the promised letter to his lawyer, enclosing three letters from Vronsky to Anna.
- Having settled on his course of action regarding his family, Karenin feels more comfortable in carrying out the lawyer's plan.
- Oblonsky arrives and insists on seeing Karenin.
- Karenin turns down the dinner invitation. Oblonsky looks at him kindly, and the two men have a chat about Anna. Oblonsky begs Karenin to talk the matter over with Dolly.
- Finally Karenin relents and agrees to come to dinner.
- The two then chat about Oblonsky's new department head.
- Oblonsky dashes off after securing a promise from Karenin that he'll come to dinner.