Kennedy’s passionate and fiery pride, which had recently increased with the troubles and self-reprobation of his life, could ill brook such questioning as this, and he answered haughtily:
“I was not aware that anything of this kind was intended.”
“Anything of this kind; you did then expect something to take place?”
“I thought I had taken sufficient precautions against it.”
“Against it; against what?” asked Mr Norton.
Kennedy looked up at his questioner, as though he read in his face the decision as to whether he should speak or not. He would hardly have answered the Master or any of the others, but Mr Norton was his friend, and there was something so manly and noble about his look and character, that Kennedy was encouraged to proceed, and he said slowly:
“I suspected, sir, that there was some intention of attempting to make De Vayne drunk.”
“You suspected that,” said Mr Norton with astonishment and scorn, “and yet you lent your rooms for such a purpose. I am ashamed of you, Kennedy; heartily, and utterly ashamed.”
Kennedy’s spirit was roused by this bitter and public apostrophe. “I lent my rooms for no such purpose; on the contrary, if it existed, I did my best to defeat it.”
“What made you suspect it?” asked Dr Rhodes, the Master.