Chapter 208 — Anna Karenina

Korney announces Sergey Alexyevitch. Stiva remembers Anna's timid parting plea: see him, find who looks after him, if it were possible for divorce to let her have her son. Karenin reminds Stiva they never speak to the boy of his mother and begs not one word about her.

Stiva finds Seryozha after a fall from a dangerous game. The tutor threatens director; Seryozha says if he were hurt nobody should find out. When pressed he bursts Leave me alone, addressing not tutor but whole world, about remembering or not remembering.

A year since Seryozha saw his mother; he studiously drives away memories as shameful below boy dignity. Tolstoy shows Anna's son sealed off while Stiva learns divorce dream is no good.

Anna's timid plea sends Stiva to see Seryozha after a fall from dangerous play. Karenin forbids one word about mother; the boy bursts Leave me alone, driving away shameful memories below boy dignity.

Tolstoy closes the chapter on that beat without easy moral, only the next consequence waiting.

Seryozha's Leave me alone addresses the whole world; Stiva learns the divorce dream cannot reach the boy sealed off by Karenin's rule.

A year since Seryozha saw his mother; Tolstoy shows the boy sealed off while Stiva learns divorce dream is no good.