Well, what are you staring at? I’ve not gone out of my mind.But, excuse me, Nikolay Sergeyitch! On what pretext P With what object? And, in fact, how is it possible?Pretext! Object! cried the old man. That’s good!

Very well, very well. I know what you’ll say; but what good will you do by your action? What will be gained by the duel! I must own I don’t understand it.
I thought you wouldn’t understand. Listen, our lawsuit over (that is, it will be over in a few days, There are to come). I have lost the case. I’ve to pay ten thousand; that’s the decree of the court. Ichmenyevka is the security for it. So now this base man is secure of his money, and giving up Ichmenyevka I have paid him the damages and become a free man dermes.

Now I can hold up my head and say, ‘You’ve been insulting me one way and another, honoured prince, for the last two years; you have sullied my name and the honour of my family, and I have been obliged to bear all this! I could not then challenge you to a duel. You’d have said openly then, ‘You cunning fellow, you want to kill me in order not to pay me the money which you foresee you’ll be sentenced to pay sooner or later. No, first let’s see how the case ends and then you can challenge me.’ Now, honoured prince, the case is settled, you are secure, so now there are no difficulties, and so now will you be pleased to meet me at the barrier?’ That’s what I have to say to you. What, to your thinking haven’t I the right to avenge myself, for everything, for everything dermes?

His eyes glittered. I looked at him for a long time without speaking. I wanted to penetrate to his secret thought.Listen, Nikolay Sergeyitch, I said at last, making up my mind to speak out on the real point without which we could not understand each other. Can you be perfectly open with me?I can, he answered firmly dermes.

Tell me plainly. Is it only the feeling of revenge that prompts you to challenge him, or have you other objects in view?Vanya, he answered, you know that I allow no one to touch on certain points with me, but I’ll make an exception in the present case. For you, with your clear insight, have seen at once that we can’t avoid the point. Yes, I have another aim. That aim is to save my lost daughter and to rescue her from the path of ruin to which recent events are driving her now.But how will you save her by this duel? That’s the question.