AlthoughallVronsky’sinnerlifewasabsorbedinhispassion，hisexternallifeunalterablyandinevitablyfollowedalongtheoldaccustomedlinesofhissocialandregimentaltiesandinterests。TheinterestsofhisregimenttookanimportantplaceinVronsky’slife，bothbecausehewasfondoftheregiment，andstillmorebecausetheregimentwasfondofhim。TheywerenotonlyfondofVronskyinhisregiment，theyrespectedhimtoo，andwereproudofhim；proudthatthisman，withhisimmensewealth，hisbrillianteducationandabilities，andthepathopenbeforehimtoeverykindofsuccess，distinctionandambition，haddisregardedallthat，andofalltheinterestsoflifehadtheinterestsofhisregimentandhiscomradesnearesttohisheart。Vronskywasawareofhiscomrades’viewofhim，andinadditiontohislikingforthatsortoflife，hefeltboundtokeepupthatreputation。
Itneednotbesaidthathedidnotspeakofhislovetoanyofhiscomrades，nordidhebetrayhissecreteveninthewildestdrinkingboutsthoughindeedhewasneversodrunkastoloseallcontrolofhimself。Andheclosedthemouthsofanyofhisthoughtlesscomradeswhoattemptedtoalludetohisliaison。But，inspiteofthat，hislovewasknowntoallthetown；everyoneguessedwithmoreorlesscertaintyathisrelationswithMadameKarenina。Themajorityoftheyoungermenenviedhimforjustwhatwasthemostirksomefactorinhislove-theexaltedpositionofKarenin，andtheconsequenttransparencytosociety，oftheirliaison。
Thegreaternumberoftheyoungwomen，whoenviedAnnaandhadlongbeenwearyofhavinghercalledrighteous，rejoicedatthefulfillmentoftheirpredictions，andwereonlywaitingforadecisiveturninpublicopiniontofalluponherwithalltheweightoftheirscorn。Theywerealreadymakingreadytheirhandfulsofmudtocastatherwhentherightmomentarrived。Thegreaternumberofthemiddle-agedpeopleandcertaingreatpersonagesweredispleasedattheprospectoftheimpendingscandalinsociety。
Vronsky’smother，onhearingofhisliaison，wasatfirstpleasedbyit，becausenothingtohermindgavesuchafinishingtouchtoabrilliantyoungmanasaliaisoninthehighestsociety；shewaspleased，too，thatMadameKarenina，whohadsotakenherfancy，andhadtalkedsomuchofherson，was，afterall，justlikealltheotherprettyanddecentwomen-accordingtotheCountessVronskaia’sideas。Butshehadheardoflatethathersonhadrefusedapositionofferedhimofgreatimportancetohiscareer，simplyinordertoremainintheregiment，wherecouldbeconstantlyseeingMadameKarenina；sheheardthatgreatpersonagesweredispleasedwithhimonthisaccount，andshechangedheropinion。Shewasvexed，too，thatfromallshecouldlearnofthisliaisonitwasnotthatbrilliant，graceful，worldlyliaisonwhichshewouldhavewelcomed，butasortofWerther’sdesperatepassion，soshewastold，whichmightwellleadhimintofollies。ShehadnotseenhimsincehisabruptdeparturefromMoscow，andshesenthereldersontobidhimtocometoher。
Thiselderbrother，too，wasdispleasedwithhisyoungerbrother。Hedidnotdistinguishwhatsortoflovehismightbe，bigorlittle，passionateorpassionless，pureorimpurehekeptaballetgirlhimself，thoughhewasthefatherofafamily，sohewasratherindulgent，butheknewthatthislovedispleasedthosewhomitwasnecessarytoplease，andthereforehedidnotapproveofhisbrother’sconduct。