- When the train stops at a provincial capital, Koznyshev goes out to stretch his legs. He passes by Vronsky's compartment, where Countess Vronsky is sitting with the curtain raised. Vronsky is not in the carriage.
- Koznyshev says hello to the Countess, who invites him inside her carriage. She tells him all about Vronsky in the aftermath of Anna's death.
- After Anna's death, Vronsky didn't speak to anyone for six weeks, and ate only when forced to. They had to put him in a first-floor room, and remove anything with which he could kill himself.
- Vronsky's mother describes Anna as a base and common woman in every way, even condemning her manner of death as a reflection of Anna's commonness.
- The Countess goes back to describing the night that Anna died, saying that Vronsky sent off the note without any of them realizing that Anna was already at the station. The Countess claims that as soon as she heard a woman had committed suicide, she knew it was Anna and didn't want Vronsky to know.
- Vronsky, having already found out, rushed to the station and came back practically swooning; he looked like a corpse.
- The Countess argues that Anna was a terrible woman for ruining the lives of two men.
- Karenin has taken custody of the little girl, Annie.
- The Countess calls the Serbian war a godsend for Vronsky, the only thing that occupies him. Yashvin, who has lost all his money at cards, has convinced Vronsky of the merits of the war. The two are going together.
- The Countess invites Koznyshev to talk with Vronsky, who is on the opposite platform.
- Koznyshev agrees, and goes to find Vronsky.