- The argument (detailed in the previous chapter) marks a turning point in the life of Anna and Karenin.
- On the surface everything seems to be the same, but their personal relations have completely changed.
- Karenin feels utterly powerless, like he's just waiting for a disaster.
- Anna continues to hang out with Princess Betsy and sees Vronsky everywhere.
- Karenin falls back on talking to Anna in a half-mocking tone, which makes it impossible to say anything serious to her.
- This chapter ends with two lines of ellipses representing the total break between what has come before in the novel and what is to come after.