He came too into considerable familiarity with Simon Prior these days, a familiarity he had no wish to encourage, yet found it difficult to shake off. Wherever he went Prior was sure to appear—quite by accident, it would seem—till Philip began to suspect that his father had something to do in the matter. Once this thought had occurred to him, Phil, in sudden and hot resentment, behaved to Mr. Simon Prior with very scant courtesy. His resentment burned hotly also against his father. What was he that he should be spied upon in this way? If his father distrusted him, why could he not say so to his face instead of setting this odious man to spy upon him and report his every action? And he had been frank enough with his father when they first spoke about Carrie; he knew and, apparently, acquiesced in his resolution to win her. Why then all this curiosity?—‘Bah, it was disgusting,’ said Phil in his indignation. A day or two later he left for Fairmeadowes. ‘You had best have me under your own eye, sir,’ he said in reply to his father’s surprised greeting. CHAPTER XXV Carrie, as may be surmised, never spoke about Philip to her father. She was therefore rather surprised when one morning he passed her the _Gentleman’s Magazine_, and pointed to a short paragraph in it:— ‘Mr. Richard Meadowes and Mr. Philip Meadowes left London yesterday for Paris. They purpose making the Grand Tour of Europe, a circumstance which will deprive society of two of its greatest ornaments,’ etc. etc. Carrie blushed, and felt very miserable, thinking how long an absence that meant on Phil’s part—he would not be in church next Sunday, nor any Sunday for months to come!—‘Ah, Philip, why did you go?’ she asked herself. Sebastian on his part was well content, and this perhaps made him acquiesce more than it was natural for him to do in a plan which Lady Mallow divulged to him that very afternoon. This was no less a scheme than Carrie’s entrance into Society (with a large S). ‘For a young gentlewoman of Carrie’s parts and appearance she leads by far too quiet a life, sir,’ said her Ladyship. ‘And now that I am returned to town, I am resolved that Carrie shall make the figure she ought in Society. ’Twas her good mother’s desire, I feel certain, and, moreover, Carrie herself will delight in it.’ ‘Perhaps you speak truly, Charlotte,’ said Sebastian, ‘and for certain my Carrie hath charms enough and to spare. I fear you’ll have some difficulty with her adorers ere long if you take her into Society, as you call it; but if the girl is of the same mind with yourself, I have naught to say against it.’