themselves to some trouble in the matter, and not a little
expense if they are to be believed. Why they do so I cannot
imagine, for sometimes after a long and close questioning I fail
to find any satisfactory reason for their doing so. I have
listened to many strange stories, and have received not a few
startling confessions! Some of my friends have gone comforted
away when they had made a clean breast and circumstantially given
me the details of some great crime or evil that they had
committed. I never experienced any difficulty, or felt the least
compunction in granting them plenary absolution; I never betrayed
them to the police, for I knew that of the crime confessed they
were as guiltless as myself. Of course there is a good deal of
pathos about their actions, but I always felt a glow of pleasure
when I could send poor deluded people away comforted; and I am
sure that they really believed me when I told them that under no
circumstances would I betray their confidence, or acquaint the
police without first consulting them. I never had any difficulty
in keeping my promise, though sometimes my friends would, after a
long absence, remind me of it.

But occasionally one of my friends has compelled me to seek the
advice of an astute detective, for very clever rogues, real and
dangerous criminals, have been my companions and have boasted of
my friendship, whilst pursuing a deplorably criminal course. But
I never had the slightest compunction with regard to them when I
knew beyond doubt what they were at. Friends and associates of
criminals have more than once waited on me for the purpose of
enlisting my sympathy and help for one of their colleagues who
was about to be released from prison, and the vagabonds have
actually informed detectives that "Mr. Holmes was going to take