- Anna realizes perfectly well that she has been as successful as possible in getting Levin to fall in love with her (she's been doing this with every young man she comes across).
- What Anna doesn't get is how she can conquer the heart of a devoted family man like Levin in one evening while Vronsky, who's actually important to her, just gets colder and colder.
- Anna understands that Vronsky wants to prove that he has freedom and other obligations, but she's bitter that he doesn't understand that all she has is his love. She claims that she isn't living, but rather waiting for a sentence from Karenin.
- Vronsky comes in, and Anna hastily alters her expression to one of calm.
- Despite her best intentions, she picks a fight with Vronsky anyway, about his staying out at the club with Yashvin instead of returning home to her.
- Anna guilts Vronsky into conceding the argument by claiming to be close to catastrophe at all moments. Still, by manipulating him so obviously, Anna drives Vronsky even further away. She realizes that she has infused their relationship with a feeling of constant struggle.