Part 5 section 10: Mikhaylov has just finished a painting he has been working on for a while, and is excited to have guests there so that he can hear their opinions. He is always quite concerned about what people say about his work. Anna and Vronsky have already been prejudiced against Mikhaylov by Golenishev's accounts of his lack of education.
Part 5 section 11: Mikhaylov sees that they are wealthy Russians and assumes they are the type that think they know about art but really know nothing. He takes the three into his studio though and is interested in what they have to say about his painting. The three of them only say obvious things about the painting, but the artist takes it as important praise until Golenishchev starts talking about his technique, and he gets irritated.
Part 5 section 12: Vronsky and Anna try to move them on to another painting that they quite like. When the visitors leave the artist looks at his painting again and is reassured in its perfection. On their way home the three talk about Mikhaylov's talent.
Part 5 section 13: Vronsky buys the painting they liked and asks Mikhaylov to paint Anna's portrait. He consents, and every time he comes for a sitting is very deferential to them and does not want to be friends with them. Vronsky tries to show him his paintings, which the artist thinks are bad, and Golenishchev keeps trying to talk to him about art. All are happy when the sittings are done and the portrait is finished. They think that Mikhaylov is just jealous of Vronsky because he can paint too, but soon Vronsky sees the defects in his work and stops painting. He becomes bored again, and Vronsky and Anna decide to return to Russia and live in the country.
Part 5 section 14: Levin has been married three months and finds that married life is not all he thought it would be. He sees that his wife has many jealousies and petty household interests that he does not share, and they have many arguments. So, the first of their marriage is very trying, and it is not until they have been married for three months that it runs more smoothly.
Part 5 section 15: Levin starts to work again on his manuscript, finding that his book is worth writing after all. He feels that he has gotten little work done in months and needs to get back to his duties and his book.
Part 5 section 16: Levin receives a letter from Mary Nikolavna saying that his brother is quite ill. Levin says he will go to him, and Kitty says she will go too. Levin thinks that she just wants to go so that she does not have to be alone and is angry at her for not taking his brother's illness more seriously. They argue, and even though he is not convinced that Kitty is going to help him, he agrees to let her go. He really does not want his wife to be around Mary Nikolavna.
Part 5 section 17: They arrive at the dirty hotel in the provincial town and Levin takes Kitty to their room and goes to see his brother. His brother looks very bad and Levin does not know how to act or what to say to him. He says that he will go and get Kitty, but he does not really want her to see him. She wants to help though, and goes to see him. Mary Nikolavna is nervous and self-conscious about her position around Kitty. Kitty tells Nicholas that she will help him.
Part 5 section 18: Levin cannot be calm around his brother. He smells the air and sees the pain his brother is in but does not think that anything can be done about it. Kitty immediately starts to set things to right though. She, her maid and Mary get things cleaned up and get a doctor in, and soon things are better. Levin is afraid Nicholas will not like Kitty's help, but he praises her to Levin.
Part 5 section 19: Levin thinks about how much more Kitty knows about death and how to deal with it than he does. She has convinced Nicholas to receive Communion. Kitty tells Levin that the doctor has said that Nicholas will not live more than three days. He admits to her that he is glad that she came and that she has done much to help. She tells him that she learned it while helping the sick people at the watering place she went to.
Part 5 section 20: After receiving Communion Nicholas seems better. Levin is surprised at how seriously Nicholas was taking it, but he admits to him that he did it for Kitty. Later Mary Nikolavna comes to say he is dying, but all through the night he suffers but does not die. He suffers still more, and all wish for his death to end the suffering. Kitty gets ill, but is soon better. Nicholas dies, and Levin again has feelings of horror about the inevitability of death, but Kitty's presence helps him. The doctor confirms that Kitty's illness is pregnancy.
Part 5 section 21: Karenin has been alone a while now and finally truly understands his position and can no longer maintain an appearance of calm, as he sees that people look at him with contempt and harshness. He has no one to turn to for talk though. He did not make any real friends at school or university. Anna's aunt introduced him to Anna and soon convinced him that he was bound by honor to propose to her because of the attentions he had been giving her. He has no intimate male friends, and would not even consider talking to a female friend like Countess Lydia Ivanovna, as he finds all women repulsive now.
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