Joseph grasped a chairback. "Where? Please don't keep anything from me!"
"Over the fireplace in the billiard-room," said Hemingway.
Joseph blinked at him. "Over - ?"
"One of a pair of knives stuck up beside a stag's head."
"Oh! Yes, yes, I know! Then you didn't discover it in anyone's possession!"
"No; I'm sorry to say that I didn't," said Hemingway.
"Sorry? Oh! Yes, I expect you must be. Of course! Only one can't help shrinking from the thought that this ghastly thing might be brought home to someone one knows - one of one's guests, perhaps!"
"That's all very well, sir, but you want to know who killed your brother, don't you?" said Hemingway reasonably.
Joseph threw him a wan smile. "Alas, it isn't as simple as that, Inspector! Part of me yearns to bring my brother's murderer to justice; but the other part - the incurably sentimental, foolish part! - dreads the inevitable discovery! You assure me that the murder was committed by someone staying in the house. Consider what frightful possibilities this must imply! The servants? I cannot think it. My nephew? my niece? The very thought revolts one! A lifelong friend, then? An innocent child, hardly out of the schoolroom? Or an unfortunate young playwright, struggling gallantly to fulfil his destiny? How can I want any of these to be found guilty of murder? Ah, you think me a muddleheaded old fool! I pray for your sake you may never go through the mental torment I writhe under now!"
The Inspector fully appreciated the fine delivery of these lines, but he was shrewd enough to realise that with the slightest encouragement Joseph would turn a police investigation into a drama centred about his own ebullient personality, and he took a firm line at once, saying prosaically: "Well, that's very kind of you, sir, I'm sure. But it's no use us arguing about who did it, or who you don't think could have done it. All I want you to do, if you'll be so good, is to cast your mind back to what happened when you and your nephew entered Mr. Herriard's room after the murder had been committed."