Long ago I was rather enamored of helping a boyfriend weather his brutal hangovers. Yeah, I was naive. I had little experience with alcoholics at the time (boy, did that concern get addressed!) and didn't perceive 'Steve' as having a problem. Or that I was incipient myself. The sex was lousy and 'Steve' I realize now was having blackouts and I didn't need (and could not help) that kind of project.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.