Tom Jones Book 12, Chapter 13

A Dialogue Between Jones and Partridge

• After the storm is over, Tom hits the road again.
• From Coventry, he goes to Daventry, Stratford, and then Dunstable.
• Tom is only a couple of hours behind Sophia now, so he thinks he'll catch up with her at St. Albans.
• But in St. Albans, Tom finds out that the coach carrying Sophia left two hours ago.
• And he can't get horses for another two hours.
• So she is definitely going to reach London before he catches her.
• Partridge convinces Tom to settle down and eat something.
• Partridge suggests that Tom borrow some money off Sophia's hundred-pound bill.
• After all, she may want some of it, but she can't need absolutely all of it.
• And Tom is out of cash.
• Tom is horrified at Partridge's advice.
• He tries to use Latin (Partridge's favorite thing) to tell him that theft is a hanging offense.
• But Partridge gets so stuck on Tom's grammar that he totally misses his larger point.
• Tom calls Partridge a fool, clearly losing his temper.
• Partridge apologizes and Tom lets it go.
• They eat dinner and head off to London.