In which Jude and Sue arrive at Christminster on a day of academic pageantry, where Jude confronts the bitter realities of his past ambitions amidst the festive splendour and a rain-drenched crowd, while Sue observes a familiar figure that rekindles a quiet unease within her. They then seek lodging in a gloomy lane near the colleges, only to encounter social prejudices and difficulties that force them into precarious accommodation, underscoring the divide between the university world and their own.