»Wer da freiet, der sorget, was der Welt angehöret, wie er dem Weibe gefalle; wer aber ledig ist, der sorget, was dem Herrn angehöret, wie er dem Herrn gefalle«, sagte der Apostel Paulus, und Alexei Alexandrowitsch, der sich jetzt in allen Stücken von der Heiligen Schrift leiten ließ, dachte häufig an diesen Spruch.
'He that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife... but he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord and how to please the Lord,' says the Apostle Paul; and Karenin, who was now guided in all his actions by the Scriptures, often recalled that text.