Serezha, and Lydia Ivanovna's enemies

Serezha runs down the stairs past his governess calling 'Mama! Mama!' Like his father he produces in Anna something close to disappointment — her fancy had made him nicer than he is — and she has to come down to reality to enjoy him, though his fair curls and trustful gaze give her physical pleasure and moral solace. Countess Lydia Ivanovna arrives to ask whether she took the olive branch, and then, interested in everything that does not concern her, talks over the answer: the Little Sisters' affair perverted by petty men, a letter from the Panslavist Pravdin, the underhand opposition to uniting the Churches. Anna notices for the first time that a woman whose aim is to do good is always angry and always has enemies. Left alone, in her accustomed conditions, she feels firm and blameless again. Nothing happened; Vronsky said some silly things; to tell her husband would be to give it an importance it does not have.

Anna comes home with new eyes and Tolstoy uses them as an instrument: son, friend and husband are each seen clearly for the first time and each found wanting. The decision not to tell Karenin is reasoned impeccably from a true premise, which is how this novel's ruinous choices are always made. Lydia Ivanovna's angry charity is set up for Part Five.