- Oblonsky asks Levin how he likes the idle life. He tells a story about shylupicks, whom everyone makes fun of for being old and coming back to the club too frequently.
- Levin sits for a while in the "intellectual room," but the discussion bores him. He goes to find Oblonsky and Turovtsyn, who are always entertaining.
- Levin finds Oblonsky in the midst of talking to Vronsky about Anna. He withdraws to give them privacy, but Oblonsky insists that he join them, and that Vronsky and Levin become friends. Oblonsky's been drinking, which makes him very sentimental: he embraces Levin and tells Vronsky that Levin is his dearest friend.
- The men play some cards and, after the game, Oblonsky convinces Levin to accompany him on a visit to Anna. Levin agrees because he's still coasting on his joy at the end of the tension he'd had with Vronsky.
- Levin pays his bill and his gambling losses, and joins the other men to head over to Vronsky's house.