- On the way to Dolly's house, Anna has a long, rambling, disjointed internal monologue. Now that she's out in the daylight, everything seems less dire, and she's embarrassed at the way that she basically threw herself desperately at Vronsky. She remembers scenes from her childhood and, observing children together on the street, muses that they do not realize how joyless and low love is. She has now decided that losing Seryozha means that she has lost everything. She wants to leave Vronsky, even though leaving a second man will make her seem doubly to blame. She prepares herself to tell Dolly everything.
- When Anna arrives, she asks the hall porter if there are any other visitors, and learns that Kitty is also in the house. Her heart is stung by the memory that Vronsky was once interested in Kitty.
- Dolly comes out alone to receive Anna.
- Anna asks to read the letter that Karenin wrote to Oblonsky regarding a divorce from Anna.
- After Dolly leaves, Anna thinks about Kitty, feeling unhappy. She realizes that any respectable woman would consider it degrading to meet her.
- When Dolly comes back with the letter, which she interprets optimistically, Anna reads it with no comment.
- Anna then asks why Kitty is hiding.
- Dolly lies, saying that Kitty is nursing her child.
- Kitty actually comes out of the nursery at this point, having been convinced by Dolly that she should greet Anna.
- Kitty was experiencing a struggle between hostility and indulgence, but when she sees Anna, all her hostility flies away. She feels sorry for Anna.
- Anna informs Kitty spitefully that she likes Levin.
- After Anna leaves, Kitty tells Dolly that Anna is just as attractive, but now seems to be a pathetic person.
- Dolly says that Anna seemed odd, like she was about to cry.