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He glanced round the rooms; they were richly furnished, but full of memorials of home, that gave them a melancholy aspect. Over the fireplace was a water-colour likeness of his lady-mother in her widow's weeds, and on the opposite side of the room another picture of a beautiful young child De Vayne's only brother, who had died in infancy.
But De Vayne's illness made a sad gap in the circle of his most intimate associates, and he was not yet sufficiently recovered to attempt a correspondence. Among the dons, Julian began to like Mr Admer more and more, and found that his cynicism of manner was but the result of disappointed ambition and unsteady aims, while his heart was sound and right.
"No yes at least I meant it for a lady, too; but it's of no use now," he said stammering. "For a lady of no use now," said Kennedy laughing; "what do you mean?" "Oh, never mind," said Julian, as he noticed De Vayne's blush, and divined that he had meant the plant for Violet, but without knowing how much he was vexed by losing the opportunity of doing something for her.
De Vayne had been but little in Saint Werner's society, and had rarely seen any but his few chosen friends; and that such a calamity should have happened in the rooms and at the table of one of those friends, that Kennedy, whom he so much loved and admired, should be suspected of being privy to it; this fact was one which made De Vayne's heart sink within him with anguish and horror, and a weariness of life.
But Violet was still very young, and none of Lady De Vayne's hopes had ever for an instant crossed her mind. Julian was at this time, and had been for some months, intensely occupied with the thought and desire of winning the Clerkland scholarship, a university scholarship of 60 pounds a year, open to general competition among all the undergraduates of less than one year's standing.
At first, as the wine was passed round, there seemed likely to be but little conversation, but suddenly some one started the subject of a "cause celebre" which was then filling the papers, and Kennedy began at once to discuss it with some interest with De Vayne, who sat nearly facing him, almost with his back turned to Bruce, who did not seem particularly anxious to attract De Vayne's attention.
"Nothing, sir; it was the same which we were all drinking." "And without any bad effects?" "Yes, sir." "But, Mr Kennedy, there seems strong reason to believe that some one drugged Lord De Vayne's wine. Were you privy to any such plan?" "No, sir not exactly," said Kennedy slowly, and with hesitation. "Really, sir," said the Master of Saint Werner's, "such an answer is grossly to your discredit.
He was anxious to tell the truth about the matter in order to avert worse consequences, and yet he dared not the words died away upon his lips. "Don't stand like that, Bruce," said Brogten indignantly, "the least you can do is to make yourself useful. Go and get the key of De Vayne's rooms from the porter's lodge. Stop, though! it will probably be in his pocket. Yes, here it is.
When the time was over, he went to De Vayne's rooms, and said abruptly "De Vayne, will you lend me your riding-whip?" "Certainly," said De Vayne, starting up to meet him. "Are you going to have a ride? I wish you would ride my horse; I'll hire another, and come with you." "No; I don't want a ride." "What do you want the whip for, then?" said De Vayne uneasily. "Nothing.
Without stopping to hear a word without catching the gentler tone of Brogten's rough voice without noticing his downcast expression of countenance Julian sprang up, assumed that Brogten had come to ridicule or even insult him, glared at him, clenched his teeth, and then seizing De Vayne's riding-whip, laid it without mercy about Brogten's shoulders.
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