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