Te caskof (Amontillado EDGAR ALLAN POE

when The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but ANALYZE nature Would VBuqs he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the pu mood of of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At this the very as festive length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled—but Explain. definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with A wrong is unredressedwhen ptecjude to retribution unredressedwhen the avenger make overtakesits redresser.It is equally especially O by fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. action in It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato impunity cause to doubt my good-will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he thought of his did not perceive that my smile now was at the freedom from immolation. or harm He had a weak point—this Fortunato—althoughin other regardshe O PARAPHRASE was a man to be respected and even feared. HC prided himself on his Paraphrase the opening connoisseurshipl in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the paragraph. Why most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity—to narrator vow revenp practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and What does he considera successful gemmary2 Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack—but in the matter of revengeP sold wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; I immolation 20 was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could. m deatv or destruction It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival} season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessivewarmth, 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 done wringing his hand.

1. connoisseurship authority. especially in the fine arts or in matters of taste. gemmary (jérn'e-ré)•.knowledge of precious gems. 3. camival: a festival before the fasting period of lent. characterized by fanciful costumes, masquerades, and feasts, 4. motley: the costume of a court jester,

344 VNIT 3: SETTING, MOOD, IMAGERY How remarkably luckily met. Fortunato. you are passes for 1 said to him: dear pipe But .1 received are looking of in the middle pipe? said he. A full carnival!" to pay the the was silly enough to be doubts," I replied; •and 1 You were not my in the matter. Amontillado price without consulting bargain." found, and I was fearful of losing a "Amontillado!" "I have my doubts." "Amontillado!" t avnd I must satisfy them." critical are engaged, 1 am on to turn, it is he. He will tell me--—" "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." a match for your own, "And yet some fools will have it that his taste is 2Come, let us go." "\Vhither?" "To your vaults." perceive you "My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I have an engagement. Luchesi—" "I have no engagement;—come. 50 "My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afilicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with niter. "Let us go, nevertheless. cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado."O O MOOD Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Putting on a mask Reread lines of black silk, and drawing a mquelaurr s closely about my person, I suffered How does Poe build 1 him to hurry me to my palazzo.' mood of suspensein conversation There were no attendants at home; they had abssondgd to make merry in between 60 narrator and honor of the time. I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicitorders not to stir from the house. These orders abscond were sufficient,I well v. to go away knew, to insure their immediate disappearonce. one and all, as soon as my back was turned. and secretly

5. a pipe Amontillado barrel of a wine that is suppsed to be a type of pale, dry sherry, named for a town in southern Spain. 6. Luchesi(Lkå'sé). 7. niter; a white, gray, or colorless mineral, consisting of potassium nitrate, 8, roquelaure (rök-lör')French: a man's kneeaength cloak. popular the 18th century. during 9. palazzo (pe-löt'sO):a palace or mansion.

346 UNIT 3: SETTING, MOOD, AND IMAGERY two flambeaux,10 their sconces and giving one to Fortunato, suites of rooms to through several the archway that led into the winding down a long and staircase, requesting him to be I passed followed. we came at length to the foot of the descent as he and ood fmy friend was unsteady, and the bells o upon his cap jingled as The gait strode. he. be pipe. said I; "but oßserve the white farther on," said web-work which gleams "It is cavern walls." these from award me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that He turned rheum of intoxication.ll distilledthe he asked, at length. "Niter. rcplied. "How long have you had that cough?" "Niter,"I ugh!---tfgh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! "Ugh!ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! ugh!" ugh! found it impossible to reply for many minutes. Mypoor friend " he said, at last. "It is nothing, said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is "Come," I precious. You admired, beloved; you arc happy, as once I was. arerich, respected, You are a For mc it is no matter. We will go back; you manto be missed. will be ill, and responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi— cannotbe I is a mere "Enough,"he said; "the cough nothing; it will not kill me. I shall cough." notdic of a "True—true," I replied; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you use all proper unnecessarily;but you should caution. A draft of this Medoc12 us from the damps." 90will defend Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle that I drew from a long row of its the mold. fellowsthat lay upon MAKE INFERENCES "Drink,"I said, presenting him the wine. Reread lines 74—92. ironic about He raisedit to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded to me familiarly, What is this conversation? whilehis bells jingled. "I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us." repose (ry-pöz') v. "AndI to your long life." to lie dead or at rest He again took my arm, and we proceeded. "Thesevaults," he said, "are extensive." "TheMontresors," I replied, "were a great and numerous family." "I forget your arms.' "Ahuge human foot d'or, 13in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampantwhose fangs are imbedded in the heel."

10.from their sconcestwo flambeaux (flåm'böz'): from their wall brackets two lighted torches. Il. filmy...intoxication: eyes clouded and glazed over from drunkenness. 12.Medoc red wine from the Bordeaux region of France. 13.d'or (dÖr) French: colored gold. (Mdntresor is describing his coat of arms, the distinctive emblem of his family.)

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO 347 "And the motto?" "Nemo me impune lacesstt. "Good!" he said. jingled. My own fancy grew The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells walls of piled bones, with casks warm with the Medoc. We had passed through recessesof the catacombs. I and puncheons15intermingling, into the inmost Fortunato by an arm above 110paused again, and this time I made bold to seize the elbow. like moss upon the vaults. "The niter!" I said; "see, it increases.It hangs trickle among the bones. We are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture O Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your cough—" O MOOD draft of the Medoc." In lines "It is nothing," he said; "let us go on. But first, another 108-114,note it at a breath. the sensory flagon of De Gråve.16He emptied details I broke and reached him a imagery that and threw the bottle upward helpyou His eyes flashedwith a fiercelight. He laughed and visualize the setting. What with a gesticulationI did not understand. mood do grotesque one. create? they I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement—a 120 "You do not comprehend?" he said. "Not I," I replied. "Then you are not of the brotherhood." "How?" " "You are not of the masons. 17 "Yes, yes," I said; "yes, yes." "You? Impossible! A mason?" "A mason," I replied. "A sign," he said. "It is this," I answered,producing a trowe118 from beneath the folds of my 130roquelaure. "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 descendingagain, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux rather to glow than flame. GRAMMAR AND At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious. Notice Poe's use of formal Its walls had been lined with language, human remains, piled to the vault overhead, including complex 140in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris.Three sides of this interior sentence structures.

14. Nemo me impune lacessit (nä'mö mä Mm-pØ'nö lä-kös'Yt) Latin: No one injures me with impunity. 15. casks and puncheons: large storage containers for wine. 16. De Gräve (do gräv'): a red wine from the Bordeaux region of France. masons: a Freemason, 17. of the a member of a social organization with secret rituals and signs. 18. producing a trowel: Montresor is playing on another meaning of mason—"one who builds with stone or brick."

348 UNIT 3: SETTING, MOOD, AND IMAGERY eqv..

ANALYZE VISUALS What qualities of the catacomb are emphasized by the two arches? Explain.

cryptwere still ornamented in this manner. From the fourth the bones had beenthrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one pointa 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 widththree, in height six or seven. It seemed to have been constructed for no especialuse within itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossalsupports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribingwalls of solid granite. It wasin vain that Fortunato, uplifting his dull torch, endeavored to pry 150into the depth of the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable termination us to see. (tür'mo-nä'shon) n. an "Proceed,"I said; "herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi— end, limit, or edge "Heis an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily forward,while I followed immediately at his heels. In an instant he had

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO 349 by the progress arrested and finding his reached the extremity of the niche, I had him moment more and rock. stood stupidlybewildered. A each other about two staples.distant from In surfacewere iron from the other granite. its dcpcndcd a short chain. feet, horizontally.From one of the of a few his waist. it was but a padlock. the links about 'Withdrawing the astounded to resist, seconds to sec-utrit. HCwas too much key I stepped back {tom the recess. thc nitet, you cannot help fccling "Pass your hand," I said, "ovct the wall; I imploreyou to return. No? 'I Ilen Indeed it is damp. Once more let me render you all the little attentions must positively leave you. But I must first in my power." recovered from his "The Amontillado!" ejaculated my friend, not yet astonishment. "True," I replied; "the Amontillado." of which I As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of bones of 170have before spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity building stone and mortar.With these materialsand with the aid of my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the niche. I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was not the cry of a drunken man. was then a long and obstinate silence.I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. noisc lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it •aith the more satisfaction, I ceased subside decrease in 180my labors and sat dov.n upon the bones. at last the clanking subsided, intensity. sett!e

350 UNIT 3: SETTING, MOOD, AND IMAGERY and finished Without interruption the trowel, the fifth. the sixth, ted I was now nearly upon a with my breast. over the mason-work, threw a few figure within. O I n the O MOOD upo of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat V,eread What m.}.e this desoiption hesita but the thought of an instant horrifying? reassuredme. I placed my hand upon of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. reapproached solidfabric the wall I the of him who clamored. I re-echoed—I to the yells aided—I surpassed in strength. I did this, and in volume and the clamorer grew still. PARAPHRASE midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had Restate what happens It wasnow completed ninth, and the tenth tier. I had finished a portion of the last in lines What theeighth, the there remained but a single stone to be fitted and emotions does Montresot andthe eleventh; plastered experience at this its weight; I placed it partially in strugled with its destined position. But in the story? in. I the niche a low therecame from out laugh that erected the hairs upon my cceeded by a sad voice, which I had diffculty It was su in recognizing as head. Fortunato. The voice said— of the noble that very good joke "Ha! ha! ha!—he! he!-—-a indeed—an excellent jest. We will laugh about it at the palazzo—he! he! he! havemany a rich —over our wine— he! he!" he! I said. OTheAmontillado!" "He!he! he! the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? palazzo, Till not they be awaiting us at the the I-Ady Fortunato and the test? Ißt us be gone." I said, let us be gone." "Yes," v Tor the love of God, Montresor! "Yes,"I said, •for the love of God!" O MOOD Butto these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. I called Reread lines 192—208v Point out images and 210aloud, other details that convey "Fortunato! the mood of the scene. No answer. I called again, "Fortunato!" Noanswer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining and let it aperture (åp'øt.chat) fallwithin. nere came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. My heart n. an opening, such as a grewsick—on account of the dampness of the catacombs. I hastened to make hole or a gap anRCEflabor. I forced '-he last stone into its position; I plastered it up. Againstthe new masonry 5eerected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a centuryno mortal has dÄ'.Ubed them. In pace requiescat!

19. rapier (ré'pé-er): a long, siendet sword. 20 pee requiescatffn re-kwé-es'kat) Latin; May he rest in

THE or AMONTILLADO Readingfor Information

THE STORY BEHIND

Feeling against Captain While at Fort Independence, Poe (who was a Green ran high weeks, and Plivate there in 18271became fascinatedwith for many then suddenly he completely vanished. Years 'he inscriptions on a gravestone on a small went by without fort.. • a sign of him, and Green Was monutncnt outside the walls of the written offthe Beneath this stone deposited the army records as a deserter. According to the story ofLieut. ROBERT E MASSIE, which Poe finally gathered together, Captain of the U. S Regt. ofl.ight Artillery.. Green had been so detested by his fellow During the summer of 1817, Poe learned, officers at the fort that they decided to twenty-year-old Lieutenant Robert F. Massie take a terrible revenge on him for of Virginia had arrived at Fort Independence Massie'sdeath.. as a newly appointed officer. Most of the men Visiting Captain Green one moonless at the post came to enjoy Massie's friendship, night, they pretended to be friendlyand but one officer, Captain Green, took a violent plied him with wine until he was helplessly intoxicated. Then, dislike to him. Green was known at the fort as carrying the captaindown a bully and a dangerous swordsman. to one of the ancient dungeons, the officers When Christmas vacations were allotted, forced his body through a tiny openingwhich few of the ofTtcerswere allowed to leave led into the subterranean casemate.l the fort, and Christmas Eve found them His captors began to shackle him to the up in the old barracks hall, playing cards. floor, using the heavy iron handcuffs and Just before midnight, at the height of the footcuffs fastened into the stone. Then they card game, Captain Green sprang to his all left the dungeon and proceeded to seal feet, reached across the table and slapped the captain up alive inside the windowless Lieutenant Massie squarely in the face. "You're casemate, using b7icks and mortar.... a cheat," he roared, "and I demand immediate Captain Green shrieked in terror and satisfaction!" begged for mercy, but his cries fell on deaf The duel began. Captain Green, an expert ears. The last brick was finally inserted, swordsman, soon had Massie at a disadvantage mortar applied, and the room sealedup, and ran him through. Fatally wounded, the the officersbelieved, forever.... young Virginian was carried back to the fort, (In 1905, workmen repairing the where he died that afternoon. His many fort found a skeleton inside, shackled friends mourned the passing of a gallant to the floor with a few fragments of an officer.... old army uniform clinging to the bones.)

1, subterranean casemate (süb'te-rä'né-enkäs•mät'): a fortified underground or partly

352 UNIT 3'. SETTING, MOOD, AND IMAGERY