I've been pondering a fictional 1850s parallel on Brokeback Mountain where a slave owner falls in love with one of his male slaves . . .
and the slave realizes it before his master does.
And then the slave realizes he is in love too . . .
and the slave realizes it before his master does.
And then the slave realizes he is in love too . . .
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.