TheexternalrelationsofAlexeiAlexandrovichandhiswifehadremainedunchanged。Thesoledifferencelayinthefactthathewasmorebusilyoccupiedthanever。Asinformeryears，atthebeginningofthespringhehadgonetoaforeignwateringplaceforthesakeofhishealth，beingderangedeveryyearwithhisstrenuouswinterwork。AndjustasalwayshereturnedinJulyandatoncefelltohisusualworkwithincreasedenergy。Justasalways，too，hiswifehadmovedforthesummertoavillaoutoftown，whileheremainedinPeterburg。
FromthedateoftheirconversationafterthepartyatPrincessTverskaia’shehadneverspokenagaintoAnnaofhissuspicionsandhisjealousies，andthathabitualtoneofhisofbanteringmimicrywasthemostconvenienttonepossibleforhispresentattitudetohiswife。Hewasalittlecoldertohiswife。Hesimplyseemedtobeslightlydispleasedwithherforthatfirstmidnightconversation，whichshehadrepelled。Inhisattitudetohertherewasashadeofvexation，butnothingmore。`Youwouldnotbeopenwithme，’heseemedtosay，mentallyaddressingher；`somuchtheworseforyou。Nowyoumaybegasyouplease，butIwon’tbeopenwithyou。Somuchtheworseforyou！’hesaidmentally，likeamanwho，aftervainlyattemptingtoextinguishafire，shouldflyinaragewithhisvaineffortsandsay，`Oh，verywellthen！Youshallburnforthis！’
Thisman，sosubtleandastuteinofficiallife，didnotrealizealltheinsanityofsuchanattitudetohiswife。Hedidnotrealizeit，becauseitwastooterribletohimtorealizehisactualposition，andheshutdownandlockedandsealedupinhisheartthatsecretplacewherelayhidhisfeelingstowardhisfamily-thatis，hiswifeandson。Hewhohadbeensuchaconsideratefather，hadfromtheendofthatwinterbecomepeculiarlyfrigidtohisson，andadoptedtohimjustthesamebanteringtoneasheusedwithhiswife。`Aha，youngman！’wasthegreetingwithwhichhemethim。
AlexeiAlexandrovichasserted，andbelieved，thathehadneverinanypreviousyearhadsomuchofficialbusinessasthatyear。Buthewasnotawarethathesoughtworkforhimselfthatyear，thatthiswasoneofthemeansforkeepingshutthatsecretplacewherelayhidhisfeelingstowardhiswifeandson，andhisthoughtsaboutthem，whichbecamemoreterriblethelongertheylaythere。IfanyonehadhadtherighttoaskAlexeiAlexandrovichwhathethoughtofhiswife’sbehavior，themildandpeaceableAlexeiAlexandrovichwouldhavemadenoanswer，buthewouldhavebeengreatlyangeredwithanymanwhoshouldquestionhimonthatsubject。ItwaspreciselyforthisreasonthattherecameintoAlexeiAlexandrovich’sfacealookofhaughtinessandseveritywheneveranyoneinquiredafterhiswife’shealth。AlexeiAlexandrovichdidnotwanttothinkatallabouthiswife’sbehaviorandfeelings，andheactuallysucceededinnotthinkingaboutthematall。
AlexeiAlexandrovich’spermanentsummervillawasinPeterhof，andtheCountessLidiaIvanovnausedtospendthesummerthere，closetoAnna，andconstantlyseeingher。ThatyearCountessLidiaIvanovnadeclinedtosettleinPeterhof，didnotcallonceatAnnaArkadyevna’s，andhadhintedtoAlexeiAlexandrovichabouttheunsuitabilityofAnna’scloseintimacywithBetsyandVronsky。AlexeiAlexandrovichhadsternlycuthershort，roundlydeclaringhiswifetobeabovesuspicion，andfromthattimebegantoavoidCountessLidiaIvanovna。Hedidnotwanttosee，anddidnotsee，thatmanypeopleinsocietycastdubiousglancesonhiswife；hedidnotwanttounderstand，anddidnotunderstand，whyhiswifehadsoparticularlyinsistedonstayingatTsarskoe，whereBetsywasstaying，andnotfarfromthecampofVronsky’sregiment。Hedidnotallowhimselftothinkaboutit，andhedidnotthinkaboutit；but，allthesame，thoughheneveradmittedittohimself，andhadnoproofs，norevensuspiciousevidence，atthebottomofhisheartheknewbeyondalldoubtthathewasadeceivedhusband，andhewasprofoundlymiserableaboutit。