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The whole of that day Anna spent at home, that's to say at the

Oblonskys', and received no one, though some of her acquaintances

had already heard of her arrival, and came to call the same day.

Anna spent the whole morning with Dolly and the children. She

merely sent a brief note to her brother to tell him that he must

not fail to dine at home. "Come, God is merciful," she wrote.

Oblonsky did dine at home: the conversation was general, and his

wife, speaking to him, addressed him as "Stiva," as she had not

done before. In the relations of the husband and wife the same

estrangement still remained, but there was no talk now of

separation, and Stepan Arkadyevitch saw the possibility of

explanation and reconciliation.