Can we draw the following hypothesis from the context? 

Context:

But don't dilly-dally for too long. Once it's published we are all going to look a little risible if we have made no adjustments to what is after all known as being predominantly my own design of gallery. Also I am a bit older than the rest of you but you can perhaps understand that I don't want to drop dead without a proper and public recantation.

Hypothesis: he doesn't want to drop dead without a proper and public recantation
Yes