Anna Karenina Part 5, Chapter 16 Summary

  • Levin goes upstairs to find Miss Agatha and Kitty sitting amiably over tea. Kitty has won over Miss Agatha and they are no longer at odds.
  • Kitty is reading a letter from Dolly, describing a recent children's ball that Grisha and Tanya attended. She hands Levin a letter from Masha.
  • Levin reads the letter. It says that Masha had found Nicholas in Moscow and that he is very ill. In fact, Nicholas is dying. Levin wants to go to Moscow at once.
  • Kitty insists on coming along, arguing that her duty is to be at her husband's side.
  • Levin believes that Kitty will be a burden. He wants to shield her from Masha because Masha was once a prostitute, and he also believes that the only reason she wishes to go is to escape the monotony of the country.
  • Finally, they make up and it's decided that Kitty will go.
  • Levin is still unhappy about this outcome. He shudders at the idea of Kitty being in the same room as Masha.