Alexis Alexandrovitch returns home busy with work and hosts dinner guests according to his strict daily routine. After the guests depart, Anna deals with an issue regarding her dresses and subsequently spends a peaceful evening putting her son to bed. She waits by the fireplace reading an English novel and reflects on the previous train scene as a minor worldly incident.
Upon his return from work meetings, Alexis Alexandrovitch joins his wife and inquires about her trip to Moscow. Anna recounts the details of her journey, including the railway accident and her interactions with her brother Stépane Arcadiévitch and Dolly. Alexis Alexandrovitch expresses strict disapproval of her brother while inquiring about the reception of his own new council measure.
Later in the evening, Anna accompanies her husband to the door of his study as he prepares to read his nightly book. She reflects affectionately on his character and habits despite his physical quirks. As midnight approaches, Anna writes a letter to Dolly while her husband prepares for bed, though a sudden memory of Wronsky briefly crosses her mind and dampens her spirits.