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The Cask of Amontillado
by Edgar Allen Poe
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best
could； but when he ventured upon insult； I vowed revenge。 You； who
so well know the nature of my soul； will not suppose； however； that
I gave utterance to a threat。 At length I would be avenged；
this was a point definitely settledbut the very definitiveness
with which it was resolved； precluded the idea of risk。 I must not
only punish； but punish with impunity。 A wrong is unredressed when
retribution overtakes its redresser。 It is equally unredressed
when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has
done the wrong。
It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I
given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will。 I continued； as was
my wont； to smile in his face； and he did not perceive that my
smile now was at the thought of his immolation。
He had a weak pointthis Fortunatoalthough in other regards
he was a man to be respected and even feared。 He prided himself on
his connoisseurship in wine。 Few Italians have the true virtuoso
spirit。 For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the
time and opportunity to practise imposture upon the British and
Austrian millionaires。 In painting and gemmary； Fortunato；
like his countrymen； was a quack but in the matter of old wines he
was sincere。 In this respect I did not differ from him
materially： I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself； and
bought largely whenever I could。
It was about dusk； one evening during the supreme madness of
the carnival season； that I encountered my friend。 He accosted me
with excessive warmth； for he had been drinking much。 The man wore
motley。 He had on a tight…fitting parti…striped dress； and his
head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells。 I was so pleased
to see him； that I thought I should never have done wringing his
hand。
I said to him〃My dear Fortunato； you are luckily met。 How
remarkably well you are looking to…day！ But I have received a pipe
of what passes for Amontillado； and I have my doubts。〃
〃How？〃 said he。 〃Amontillado？ A pipe？ Impossible！ And in
the middle of the carnival！〃
〃I have my doubts；〃 I replied； 〃and I was silly enough to pay
the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter。
You were not to be found； and I was fearful of losing a bargain。〃
〃Amontillado！〃
〃I have my doubts。〃
〃Amontillado！〃
〃And I must satisfy them。〃
〃Amontillado！〃
〃As you are engaged； I am on my way to Luchesi。 If any one
has a critical turn； it is he。 He will tell me〃
〃Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry。〃
〃And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for
your own。〃
〃Come； let us go。〃
〃Whither？〃
〃To your vaults。〃
〃My friend； no； I will not impose upon your good nature。 I
perceive you have an engagement。 Luchesi〃
〃I have no engagement；come。〃
〃My friend； no。 It is not the engagement； but the severe cold
with which I perceive you are afflicted。 The vaults are
insufferably damp。 They are encrusted with nitre。〃
〃Let us go； nevertheless。 The cold is merely nothing。
Amontillado！ You have been imposed upon。 And as for Luchesi； he
cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado。〃
Thus speaking； Fortunato possessed himself of my arm。
Putting on a mask of black silk； and drawing a roquelaire
closely about my person； I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo。
There were no attendants at home； they had absconded to make
merry in honour of the time。 I had told them that I should not
return until the morning； and had given them explicit orders not to
stir from the house。 These orders were sufficient； I well knew； to
insure their immediate disappearance； one and all； as soon as my
back was turned。
I took from their sconces two flambeaux； and giving one to
Fortunato； bowed him through several suites of rooms to the archway
that led into the vaults。 I passed down a long and winding
staircase； requesting him to be cautious as he followed。 We
came at length to the foot of the descent； and stood together on
the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors。
The gait of my friend was unsteady； and the bells upon his cap
jingled as he strode。
〃The pipe；〃 said he。
〃It is farther on；〃 said I； 〃but observe the white web…work
which gleams from these cavern walls。〃
He turned towards me； and looked into my eyes with two filmy
orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication。
〃Nitre？〃 he asked； at length。
〃Nitre；〃 I replied。 〃How long have you had that cough？〃
〃Ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！
ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！〃
My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes。
〃It is nothing；〃 he said； at last。
〃Come；〃 I said； with decision； 〃we will go back； your health
is precious。 You are rich； respected； admired； beloved； you are
happy； as once I was。 You are a man to be missed。 For me it is no
matter。 We will go back； you will be ill； and I cannot be
responsible。 Besides； there is Luchesi〃
〃Enough；〃 he said； 〃the cough is a mere nothing； it will not
kill me。 I shall not die of a cough。〃
〃Truetrue；〃 I replied； 〃and； indeed； I had no intention of
alarming you unnecessarilybut you should use all proper caution。
A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps。〃
Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a
long row of its fellows that lay upon the mould。
〃Drink；〃 I said； presenting him the wine。
He raised it to his lips with a leer。 He paused and nodded to
me familiarly； while his bells jingled。
〃I drink；〃 he said； 〃to the buried that repose around us。〃
〃And I to your long life。〃
He again took my arm； and we proceeded。
〃These vaults；〃 he said； 〃are extensive。〃
〃The Montresors；〃 I replied； 〃were a great and numerous
family。〃
〃I forget your arms。〃
〃A huge human foot d'or； in a field azure； the foot crushes a
serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel。〃
〃And the motto？〃
〃 Nemo me impune lacessit。〃
〃Good！〃 he said。
The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled。 My own
fancy grew warm with the Medoc。 We had passed through walls
of piled bones； with casks and puncheons intermingling； into
the inmost recesses of catacombs。 I paused again； and this time I
made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow。
〃The nitre！〃 I said； 〃see； it increases。 It hangs like moss
upon the vaults。 We are below the river's bed。 The drops of
moisture trickle among the bones。 Come； we will go back ere it is
too late。 Your cough〃
〃It is nothing；〃 he said； 〃let us go on。 But first； another
draught of the Medoc。〃
I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave。 He emptied it
at a breath。 His eyes flashed with a fierce light。 He laughed and
threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand。
I looked at him in surprise。 He repeated the movementa
grotesque one。
〃You do not comprehend？〃 he said。
〃Not I；〃 I replied。
〃Then you are not of the brotherhood。〃
〃How？〃
〃You are not of the masons。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 I said； 〃yes； yes。〃
〃You？ Impossible！ A mason？〃
〃A mason；〃 I replied。
〃A sign；〃 he said； 〃a sign。〃
〃It is this；〃 I answered； producing a trowel from beneath the folds of
my roquelaire。
〃You jest；〃 he exclaimed； recoiling a few paces。 〃But let us
proceed to the Amontillado。〃
〃Be it so；〃 I said； replacing the tool beneath the cloak and
again offering him my arm。 He leaned upon it heavily。 We continued
our route in search of the Amontillado。 We passed through a range
of low arches； descended； passed on； and descending again； arrived
at a deep crypt； in which the foulness of the air caused
our flambeaux rather to glow than flame。
At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another
less spacious。 Its walls had been lined with human remains； piled
to the vault overhead； in the fashion of the great catacombs of
Paris。 Three sides of this interior crypt were still ornamented in
this manner。 From the fourth side the bones had been thrown down；
and lay promiscuously upon the earth； forming at one point a mound
of some size。 Within the wall thus exposed by the displacing of
the bones； we perceived a still interior recess； in depth
about four feet in width three； in height six or seven。 It seemed
to have been constructed for no especial use within itself； but
formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of
the roof of the catacombs； and was backed by one of their
circumscribing walls of solid granite。
It was in vain that Fortunato； uplifting his dull torch；
endeavoured to pry into the depth of the recess。 Its termination
the feeble light did not en