Quote by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1891
Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil
Summary
This quote suggests that valuable things, similar to how beautiful stones glimmer, often attract wrongdoing. It implies that like how a good stone sparkles and draws attention, acts of criminality are naturally drawn to valuable objects. The phrase "they are the devil" indicates that these valuable objects or focal points of criminal activities can be seen as something dangerous or tempting, paralleling how the devil is often associated with evil deeds.