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In spite of Vronsky's apparently frivolous life in society, he

was a man who hated irregularity. In early youth in the Corps of

Pages, he had experienced the humiliation of a refusal, when he

had tried, being in difficulties, to borrow money, and since then

he had never once put himself in the same position again.

In order to keep his affairs in some sort of order, he used about

five times a year (more or less frequently, according to

circumstances) to shut himself up alone and put all his affairs

into definite shape. This he used to call his day of reckoning or

faire la lessive.

On waking up the day after the races, Vronsky put on a white

linen coat, and without shaving or taking his bath, he

distributed about the table moneys, bills, and letters, and set

to work. Petritsky, who knew he was ill-tempered on such

occasions, on waking up and seeing his comrade at the

writing-table, quietly dressed and went out without getting in

his way.