Anna Karenina, Part 2, Chapter 5 summary

What happens

1. Vronsky tells Betsy how two drunken young men follow a woman home and deliver a passionate letter.
2. He describes his repeated attempts to calm her angry husband, making Betsy laugh.
3. Vronsky goes to the French theater to report to his colonel about the mediation.
4. The narrator identifies Petritsky and Prince Kedrov and gives Venden’s account of his pregnant wife’s frightened return home.
5. Vronsky’s standing helps secure a hearing for the officers’ apology, but the result remains uncertain.
6. The colonel decides against further action, laughs at Vronsky’s account, and turns the conversation to Claire.

In this chapter

What to notice

The colonel recognizes the misconduct yet treats its consequences as entertainment. His response echoes the laughter that Vronsky’s account produces in Betsy.

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