The Cask of Amontillado

We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors.

He turned towards me and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication .

He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.

"It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire.

There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time.

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.

It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use in 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.

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.

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.

I had scarcely laid the first tier of my masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off.

He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand.

He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much.

I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave.

In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered .

He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells.

A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite.

The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe

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THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.

Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an instant reassured me.

The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours and sat down upon the bones.

Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit.

AT LENGTH I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled -- but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.

For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity to practise imposture upon the British and Austrian MILLIONAIRES.

Against the new masonry I reerected the old rampart of bones.

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

In this respect I did not differ from him materially; I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.

I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within.

I must not only punish, but punish with impunity.

"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."