- The next morning, Anna begins making preparations for their departure.
- Vronsky comes in to let Anna know that he's taking off to see his mother about some business.
- This sours Anna's mood a little.
- Her mood gets worse when a telegram is brought in for Vronsky and she imagines that he's concealing its contents from her. It turns out to be from Oblonsky, but Anna begins imagining that Vronsky communicates with imagined lovers via telegram.
- Anna picks a fight, then insults his mother.
- Yashvin arrives. and Anna suppresses all her emotions in an effort to be civil to him. They chat about Yashvin's gambling habit. He says that he gambles in an effort to strip his opponent of the shirt off his back, and that his opponent does the same—and that's fun.
- Vronsky, who has been dealing with the sale of one of his stallions, stops by Anna's room before leaving the house again. Her lip is trembling and she seems to be on the verge of tears, but she greets him coldly. She refuses to say what's wrong, and he effectively washes his hands of the situation.
- Vronsky leaves the house, and when he returns, he finds that Anna has told her maid to tell Vronsky not to stop in to see her.