TheCaskofAmontilladobyEdgarAllanPoeOctober，1997[Etext#1065]*
TheCaskofAmontilladoThethousandinjuriesofFortunatoIhadborneasIbestcould，butwhenheventureduponinsult，Ivowedrevenge。You，whosowellknowthenatureofmysoul，willnotsuppose，however，thatIgaveutterancetoathreat。AtlengthIwouldbeavenged;
thiswasapointdefinitelysettled——buttheverydefinitivenesswithwhichitwasresolved，precludedtheideaofrisk。Imustnotonlypunish，butpunishwithimpunity。Awrongisunredressedwhenretributionovertakesitsredresser。Itisequallyunredressedwhentheavengerfailstomakehimselffeltassuchtohimwhohasdonethewrong。
ItmustbeunderstoodthatneitherbywordnordeedhadI
givenFortunatocausetodoubtmygoodwill。Icontinued，aswasmywont，tosmileinhisface，andhedidnotperceivethatmysmilenowwasatthethoughtofhisimmolation。
Hehadaweakpoint——thisFortunato——althoughinotherregardshewasamantoberespectedandevenfeared。Hepridedhimselfonhisconnoisseurshipinwine。FewItalianshavethetruevirtuosospirit。Forthemostparttheirenthusiasmisadoptedtosuitthetimeandopportunity——topractiseimpostureupontheBritishandAustrianmillionaires。Inpaintingandgemmary，Fortunato，likehiscountrymen，wasaquack——butinthematterofoldwineshewassincere。InthisrespectIdidnotdifferfromhimmaterially:IwasskillfulintheItalianvintagesmyself，andboughtlargelywheneverIcould。
Itwasaboutdusk，oneeveningduringthesuprememadnessofthecarnivalseason，thatIencounteredmyfriend。Heaccostedmewithexcessivewarmth，forhehadbeendrinkingmuch。Themanworemotley。Hehadonatight—fittingparti—stripeddress，andhisheadwassurmountedbytheconicalcapandbells。Iwassopleasedtoseehim，thatIthoughtIshouldneverhavedonewringinghishand。
Isaidtohim——\"MydearFortunato，youareluckilymet。Howremarkablywellyouarelookingto—day！ButIhavereceivedapipeofwhatpassesforAmontillado，andIhavemydoubts。\"
\"How？\"saidhe。\"Amontillado？Apipe？Impossible！Andinthemiddleofthecarnival！\"
\"Ihavemydoubts，\"Ireplied;\"andIwassillyenoughtopaythefullAmontilladopricewithoutconsultingyouinthematter。
Youwerenottobefound，andIwasfearfuloflosingabargain。\"
\"Amontillado！\"
\"Ihavemydoubts。\"
\"Amontillado！\"
\"AndImustsatisfythem。\"
\"Amontillado！\"
\"Asyouareengaged，IamonmywaytoLuchesi。Ifanyonehasacriticalturn，itishe。Hewilltellme——\"
\"LuchesicannottellAmontilladofromSherry。\"
\"Andyetsomefoolswillhaveitthathistasteisamatchforyourown。\"
\"Come，letusgo。\"
\"Whither？\"
\"Toyourvaults。\"
\"Myfriend，no;Iwillnotimposeuponyourgoodnature。I
perceiveyouhaveanengagement。Luchesi——\"
\"Ihavenoengagement;——come。\"
\"Myfriend，no。Itisnottheengagement，buttheseverecoldwithwhichIperceiveyouareafflicted。Thevaultsareinsufferablydamp。Theyareencrustedwithnitre。\"
\"Letusgo，nevertheless。Thecoldismerelynothing。
Amontillado！Youhavebeenimposedupon。AndasforLuchesi，hecannotdistinguishSherryfromAmontillado。\"
Thusspeaking，Fortunatopossessedhimselfofmyarm。
Puttingonamaskofblacksilk，anddrawingaroquelairecloselyaboutmyperson，Isufferedhimtohurrymetomypalazzo。
Therewerenoattendantsathome;theyhadabscondedtomakemerryinhonourofthetime。IhadtoldthemthatIshouldnotreturnuntilthemorning，andhadgiventhemexplicitordersnottostirfromthehouse。Theseordersweresufficient，Iwellknew，toinsuretheirimmediatedisappearance，oneandall，assoonasmybackwasturned。
Itookfromtheirsconcestwoflambeaux，andgivingonetoFortunato，bowedhimthroughseveralsuitesofroomstothearchwaythatledintothevaults。Ipasseddownalongandwindingstaircase，requestinghimtobecautiousashefollowed。Wecameatlengthtothefootofthedescent，andstoodtogetheronthedampgroundofthecatacombsoftheMontresors。
Thegaitofmyfriendwasunsteady，andthebellsuponhiscapjingledashestrode。
\"Thepipe，\"saidhe。
\"Itisfartheron，\"saidI;\"butobservethewhiteweb—workwhichgleamsfromthesecavernwalls。\"
Heturnedtowardsme，andlookedintomyeyeswithtwofilmyorbsthatdistilledtherheumofintoxication。
\"Nitre？\"heasked，atlength。
\"Nitre，\"Ireplied。\"Howlonghaveyouhadthatcough？\"
\"Ugh！ugh！ugh！——ugh！ugh！ugh！——ugh！ugh！ugh！——ugh！ugh！
ugh！——ugh！ugh！ugh！\"
Mypoorfriendfounditimpossibletoreplyformanyminutes。
\"Itisnothing，\"hesaid，atlast。
\"Come，\"Isaid，withdecision，\"wewillgoback;yourhealthisprecious。Youarerich，respected，admired，beloved;youarehappy，asonceIwas。Youareamantobemissed。Formeitisnomatter。Wewillgoback;youwillbeill，andIcannotberesponsible。Besides，thereisLuchesi——\"
\"Enough，\"hesaid;\"thecoughisamerenothing;itwillnotkillme。Ishallnotdieofacough。\"
\"True——true，\"Ireplied;\"and，indeed，Ihadnointentionofalarmingyouunnecessarily——butyoushoulduseallpropercaution。
AdraughtofthisMedocwilldefendusfromthedamps。\"
HereIknockedofftheneckofabottlewhichIdrewfromalongrowofitsfellowsthatlayuponthemould。
\"Drink，\"Isaid，presentinghimthewine。
Heraisedittohislipswithaleer。Hepausedandnoddedtomefamiliarly，whilehisbellsjingled。
\"Idrink，\"hesaid，\"totheburiedthatreposearoundus。\"
\"AndItoyourlonglife。\"
Heagaintookmyarm，andweproceeded。
\"Thesevaults，\"hesaid，\"areextensive。\"
\"TheMontresors，\"Ireplied，\"wereagreatandnumerousfamily。\"
\"Iforgetyourarms。\"
\"Ahugehumanfootd’or，inafieldazure;thefootcrushesaserpentrampantwhosefangsareimbeddedintheheel。\"
\"Andthemotto？\"
\"Nemomeimpunelacessit。\"
\"Good！\"hesaid。
Thewinesparkledinhiseyesandthebellsjingled。MyownfancygrewwarmwiththeMedoc。Wehadpassedthroughwallsofpiledbones，withcasksandpuncheonsintermingling，intotheinmostrecessesofcatacombs。Ipausedagain，andthistimeI
madeboldtoseizeFortunatobyanarmabovetheelbow。
\"Thenitre！\"Isaid;\"see，itincreases。Ithangslikemossuponthevaults。Wearebelowtheriver’sbed。Thedropsofmoisturetrickleamongthebones。Come，wewillgobackereitistoolate。Yourcough——\"
\"Itisnothing，\"hesaid;\"letusgoon。Butfirst，anotherdraughtoftheMedoc。\"
IbrokeandreachedhimaflagonofDeGrave。Heemptieditatabreath。Hiseyesflashedwithafiercelight。HelaughedandthrewthebottleupwardswithagesticulationIdidnotunderstand。
Ilookedathiminsurprise。Herepeatedthemovement——agrotesqueone。
\"Youdonotcomprehend？\"hesaid。
\"NotI，\"Ireplied。
\"Thenyouarenotofthebrotherhood。\"
\"How？\"
\"Youarenotofthemasons。\"
\"Yes，yes，\"Isaid;\"yes，yes。\"
\"You？Impossible！Amason？\"
\"Amason，\"Ireplied。
\"Asign，\"hesaid，\"asign。\"
\"Itisthis，\"Ianswered，producingatrowelfrombeneaththefoldsofmyroquelaire。
\"Youjest，\"heexclaimed，recoilingafewpaces。\"ButletusproceedtotheAmontillado。\"
\"Beitso，\"Isaid，replacingthetoolbeneaththecloakandagainofferinghimmyarm。Heleaneduponitheavily。WecontinuedourrouteinsearchoftheAmontillado。Wepassedthrougharangeoflowarches，descended，passedon，anddescendingagain，arrivedatadeepcrypt，inwhichthefoulnessoftheaircausedourflambeauxrathertoglowthanflame。
Atthemostremoteendofthecryptthereappearedanotherlessspacious。Itswallshadbeenlinedwithhumanremains，piledtothevaultoverhead，inthefashionofthegreatcatacombsofParis。Threesidesofthisinteriorcryptwerestillornamentedinthismanner。Fromthefourthsidetheboneshadbeenthrowndown，andlaypromiscuouslyupontheearth，formingatonepointamoundofsomesize。Withinthewallthusexposedbythedisplacingofthebones，weperceivedastillinteriorrecess，indepthaboutfourfeetinwidththree，inheightsixorseven。Itseemedtohavebeenconstructedfornoespecialusewithinitself，butformedmerelytheintervalbetweentwoofthecolossalsupportsoftheroofofthecatacombs，andwasbackedbyoneoftheircircumscribingwallsofsolidgranite。
ItwasinvainthatFortunato，upliftinghisdulltorch，endeavouredtopryintothedepthoftherecess。Itsterminationthefeeblelightdidnotenableustosee。
\"Proceed，\"Isaid;\"hereinistheAmontillado。AsforLuchesi——\"
\"Heisanignoramus，\"interruptedmyfriend，ashesteppedunsteadilyforward，whileIfollowedimmediatelyathisheels。Inaninstanthehadreachedtheextremityoftheniche，andfindinghisprogressarrestedbytherock，stoodstupidlybewildered。A
momentmoreandIhadfetteredhimtothegranite。Initssurfaceweretwoironstaples，distantfromeachotherabouttwofeet，horizontally。Fromoneofthesedependedashortchain，fromtheotherapadlock。Throwingthelinksabouthiswaist，itwasbuttheworkofafewsecondstosecureit。Hewastoomuchastoundedtoresist。WithdrawingthekeyIsteppedbackfromtherecess。
\"Passyourhand，\"Isaid，\"overthewall;youcannothelpfeelingthenitre。Indeed，itisverydamp。Oncemoreletmeimploreyoutoreturn。No？ThenImustpositivelyleaveyou。
ButImustfirstrenderyouallthelittleattentionsinmypower。\"
\"TheAmontillado！\"ejaculatedmyfriend，notyetrecoveredfromhisastonishment。
\"True，\"Ireplied;\"theAmontillado。\"
AsIsaidthesewordsIbusiedmyselfamongthepileofbonesofwhichIhavebeforespoken。Throwingthemaside，Isoonun—
coveredaquantityofbuildingstoneandmortar。Withthesematerialsandwiththeaidofmytrowel，Ibeganvigorouslytowalluptheentranceoftheniche。
IhadscarcelylaidthefirsttierofthemasonrywhenIdiscoveredthattheintoxicationofFortunatohadinagreatmeasurewornoff。
TheearliestindicationIhadofthiswasalowmoaningcryfromthedepthoftherecess。Itwasnotthecryofadrunkenman。
Therewasthenalongandobstinatesilence。Ilaidthesecondtier，andthethird，andthefourth;andthenIheardthefuriousvibrationsofthechain。Thenoiselastedforseveralminutes，duringwhich，thatImighthearkentoitwiththemoresatisfaction，Iceasedmylaboursandsatdownuponthebones。
Whenatlasttheclankingsubsided，Iresumedthetrowel，andfinishedwithoutinterruptionthefifth，thesixth，andtheseventhtier。Thewallwasnownearlyuponalevelwithmybreast。I
againpaused，andholdingtheflambeauxoverthemason—work，threwafewfeebleraysuponthefigurewithin。
Asuccessionofloudandshrillscreams，burstingsuddenlyfromthethroatofthechainedform，seemedtothrustmeviolentlyback。ForabriefmomentIhesitated——Itrembled。Unsheathingmyrapier，Ibegantogropewithitabouttherecess;butthethoughtofaninstantreassuredme。Iplacedmyhanduponthesolidfabricofthecatacombs，andfeltsatisfied。Ireapproachedthewall;I
repliedtotheyellsofhimwhoclamoured。Ire—echoed——Iaided——
Isurpassedtheminvolumeandinstrength。Ididthis，andtheclamourergrewstill。
Itwasnowmidnight，andmytaskwasdrawingtoaclose。I
hadcompletedtheeighth，theninth，andthetenthtier。Ihadfinishedaportionofthelastandtheeleventh;thereremainedbutasinglestonetobefittedandplasteredin。Istruggledwithitsweight;Iplaceditpartiallyinitsdestinedposition。Butnowtherecamefromoutthenichealowlaughthaterectedthehairsuponmyhead。Itwassucceededbyasadvoice，whichIhaddifficultyinrecognizingasthatofthenobleFortunato。Thevoicesaid——
\"Ha！ha！ha！——he！he！he！——averygoodjokeindeed——anexcellentjest。Weshallhavemanyarichlaughaboutitatthepalazzo——he！he！he！——overourwine——he！he！he！\"
\"TheAmontillado！\"Isaid。
\"He！he！he！——he！he！he！——yes，theAmontillado。Butisitnotgettinglate？Willnottheybeawaitingusatthepalazzo，theLadyFortunatoandtherest？Letusbegone。\"
\"Yes，\"Isaid，\"letusbegone。\"
\"FortheloveofGod，Montresor！\"
\"Yes，\"Isaid，\"fortheloveofGod！\"
ButtothesewordsIhearkenedinvainforareply。Igrewimpatient。
Icalledaloud——
\"Fortunato！\"
Noanswer。Icalledagain——
\"Fortunato——\"
Noanswerstill。Ithrustatorchthroughtheremainingapertureandletitfallwithin。Therecameforthinreplyonlyajinglingofthebells。Myheartgrewsickonaccountofthedampnessofthecatacombs。Ihastenedtomakeanendofmylabour。Iforcedthelaststoneintoitsposition;Iplastereditup。AgainstthenewmasonryIre—erectedtheoldrampartofbones。Forthehalfofacenturynomortalhasdisturbedthem。Inpacerequiescat！