Oblonsky then brings up the question of Anna's divorce, and he and Karenin discuss the issue.
What it comes down to is that Anna is no longer asking for custody of her son, Seryozha. Oblonsky argues that for Anna, the question of a divorce is a question of life or death. He compares her waiting for news of a divorce to a prisoner waiting for news of his acquittal or death sentence.
Oblonsky brings up Karenin's former Christian spirit of forgiveness, which clearly upsets Karenin. Karenin ushers Oblonsky out, promising that he'll think it over and give a definite answer the day after tomorrow.