Someone can be honest with himself and still dodge the work of repair. Stiva will not pretend he repents the affair with their former governess; he only wishes he had hidden it better. He assumed Darya Alexandrovna would suspect, shut her eyes, and take an indulgent view like other wives he knows. Instead she is wrecked, and he circles the same helpless cry: awful, awful, what can be done? He never thought through what discovery would cost her. He recalls Mlle. Roland's black eyes, defends how well they got on before, and lands on Tolstoy's blunt escape hatch: live in the needs of the day, forget yourself. Sleep and last night's dream are closed; only the morning can absorb him now.
He rises, pulls the blind, rings for Matvey and the barber. The valet sympathizes without a sermon, mentions carriage-jobbers deferred till Sunday, and trades a look in the mirror that says they both understand. Stiva reads a telegram and brightens: his sister Anna Arkadyevna arrives tomorrow, alone. Matvey reads it as hope for reconciliation. Stiva tells him to inform Darya Alexandrovna and prepare the room as she orders.
Matvey returns with her answer: she is going away, and Stiva may do as he likes. His smile turns pitiful; Matvey promises she will come round. Nurse Matrona, Dolly's chief ally in the house, still begs him to go, own his fault again, pray, pity the children, the house topsy-turvy. He says Dolly will not see him, blushes, sends Matrona off, and orders Matvey to dress him. The chapter ends on motion, not repair: he knows he is wrong, the staff mostly forgives him, and he chooses whiskers and linen over the apology they urge.
Coming Up in Chapter 3
Stepan must face his wife Dolly and somehow navigate the wreckage of their marriage. But first, he needs to figure out what he actually wants - and whether he's capable of the honesty that might save his family..
