As Princess Betsy is leaving the Karenins’ home, she is met by Stepan Arkadyevitch, who is delighted to see her. He hints to her that he is here from St. Petersburg to help his sister somehow, and Princess Betsy is thrilled. They huddle in a corner of the drawing room, and she whispers that Alexey Alexandrovitch is “killing” Anna Karenina with this impossible situation, which is being talked about by everyone in town.

It is clear Alexey Alexandrovitch does not know his wife and does not understand that she is pining for Vronsky because she is not the kind of woman who can love casually. Princess Betsy says one of two things must happen: Alexey Alexandrovitch must act decisively and either let Anna Karenina go with Vronsky, or give her a divorce. The current situation is stifling her. Stepan Arkadyevitch says he is here to express his thanks for his new position as chamberlain, but he is mostly here to help settle this matter for his sister.

Stepan Arkadyevitch finds his sister in tears and immediately changes his ebullient mood to one of sympathy. He tries to encourage her, but she dismisses his platitudes and says that while most women love men despite their vices, she hates her husband for his virtues. The sight of him is repugnant to her, and she can no longer live with him. When she used to think she could not be more miserable, she could not conceive that things would get worse. Even knowing Alexey Alexandrovitch is a good man, she hates him and tells her brother she has considered drastic measures to get out of her awful situation.

No one else could have smiled at Anna Karenina at that moment without seeming uncaring and insensitive; however, Stepan Arkadyevitch’s smile is tender and sweet, and Anna Karenina is soon soothed by it. Finally she tells him things are so strained that something may snap, but it has not ended yet; however, she is certain there will be a fearful end. Stepan Arkadyevitch assures her that there is always a way out of every circumstance, and killing herself is not her only option.

Stepan Arkadyevitch reviews her situation. She made the mistake of marrying a man twenty years her senior without even understanding what love is, and she compounded it by falling in love with another man. Her husband knows about the affair and has forgiven it. All of these are realities, so the question for her is whether she can go on living with her husband. Anna Karenina is confused and says she is dangling over a pit and knows she should not try to save herself.

She cannot even express her own wishes and feelings in a coherent way; she just wants it all to be over. Stepan Arkadyevitch notes that everyone involved seems to be miserable, and he wonders whether a divorce would solve everything for all of them. Anna Karenina says nothing but shakes her head in dissent. Her brother believes that the only reason she does not desire this is that to her, it is an unattainable happiness. He is determined to speak what he feels to Alexey Alexandrovitch; his sister looks at him with shining eyes but says nothing.