Don't I know perfectly well that my friends would never allow me to fight a duel--would never allow the life of a statesman, needed by Russia, to be exposed to danger? Knowing perfectly well beforehand that the matter would never come to real danger, it would amount to my simply trying to gain a certain sham reputation by such a challenge.

That would be dishonest, that would be false, that would be deceiving myself and others.

A duel is quite irrational, and no one expects it of me.