I have always had more dread of a pen, a bottle of ink, and a sheet of paper than of a sword or pistol.

Dumas contrasts physical weapons with the tools of writing to suggest that the act of putting words on paper can feel more perilous than facing bodily danger. A sword or pistol threatens the body in a moment; a pen can expose one’s thoughts, invite judgment, create enemies, or fix mistakes permanently in public view. The line also nods to the writer’s awareness of literature’s power: writing can wound reputations, provoke political consequences, and outlast its author. In this sense, the “dread” is not cowardice but respect for the responsibility and irreversible reach of written language.