five
o’clock
He went into his study to see the people waiting for him with petitions , and to sign some papers brought him by his chief secretary . At dinner time -LRB- there were always a few people dining with the Karenins -RRB- there arrived an old lady , a cousin of Alexey Alexandrovitch , the chief secretary of the department and his wife , and a young man who had been recommended to Alexey Alexandrovitch for the service . Anna went into the drawing-room to receive these guests . Precisely at five o'clock , before the bronze Peter the First clock had struck the fifth stroke , Alexey Alexandrovitch came in , wearing a white tie and evening coat with two stars , as he had to go out directly after dinner . Every minute of Alexey Alexandrovitch 's life was portioned out and occupied . And to make time to get through all that lay before him every day , he adhered to the strictest punctuality . `` Unhasting and unresting , '' was his motto .