Study Guide

Anna Karenina Part 5, Chapter 3

By Leo Tolstoy

Part 5, Chapter 3

The church is crowded and beautiful. Everyone looks wonderful, as do the decorations. Each time the door opens everyone expects to see the bride and groom.
As time goes on with no sign of the bride and groom, the best man finally goes to see what has happened.
Kitty has been ready for a while, awaiting news of her groom.
Levin has been pacing back and forth in his room with Oblonsky, who keeps reassuring Levin.
Here's what happened: Levin is lacking a clean shirt. Kuzma ran off to the railroad to open up one of Levin's trunks and grab a new shirt.
Levin is despairing that the trunk will already have been loaded, and that Kitty is thinking dreadful thoughts, given the conversation they just had.
Kuzma runs back with the shirt.