In Russian, someone with an uneasy conscience is described by an idiom that translates as “The thief has a burning hat”–perhaps because he’s suffering discomfort that no one else perceives. This is part of a complete episode.
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I came here from a google search after a conversation with a russian friend. Actually, the way he explained the expression is that it comes from an old story or something where a crime is committed and the detective (or whoever) says “The thief’s hat is on fire.” At hearing this, the actual thief reaches up to the top of his head to check it, revealing who he is.