This was what Vronsky was experiencing in regard to the world.

Though at the bottom of his heart he knew that the world was shut on them, he put it to the test whether the world had not changed by now and would not receive them.

But he very quickly perceived that though the world was open for him personally, it was closed for Anna.

Just as in the game of cat and mouse, the hands raised for him were dropped to bar the way for Anna.

One of the first ladies of Petersburg society whom Vronsky saw was his cousin Betsy.