Tom Jones Book 14, Chapter 4

Which We Hope Will Be Very Attentively Perused by Young People of Both Sexes

• Mr. Nightingale comes by Tom's room and teases him about his late-night lady.
• Tom has only been in town for two weeks! He's a fast worker.
• Tom tells Mr. Nightingale that Mrs. Miller wants him to move out.
• Mr. Nightingale agrees that he's probably going to go today, too.
• Tom thinks he knows why: it's Nancy, isn't it?
• Tom scolds Mr. Nightingale for raising her hopes by flirting with her so often.
• Mr. Nightingale thinks Tom's scolding is rich, coming from the man who just had a lady in his rooms the night before.
• Tom agrees that he has slept around too much.
• But he has never permanently hurt anyone (that he knows of).
• Now, Mr. Nightingale may never have slept with Nancy (and Tom doesn't think he has), but he has made her fall in love with him.
• Mr. Nightingale says he's leaving the house for that reason: he's hoping that time and distance will make them both think less of each other.
• The real trouble is, Mr. Nightingale's father has engaged him to a woman he has never met.
• She's coming to town so that Mr. Nightingale can start wooing her.
• Tom and Mr. Nightingale agree to get a place together.
• Mr. Nightingale is going to move out first, and then Tom's going to follow him.