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diff --git a/1063-h/1063-h.htm b/1063-h/1063-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84799b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/1063-h/1063-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,568 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%;} + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1063 ***</div> + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +The Cask of Amontillado +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +by +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Edgar Allan Poe +</H3> + +<BR><BR> + +<P> +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. <I>At length</I> I would be avenged; this was a point definitely +settled—but 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. +</P> + +<P> +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 <I>now</I> was at +the thought of his immolation. +</P> + +<P> +He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although 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 +<I>millionaires</I>. 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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" said he. "Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle +of the carnival!" +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"Amontillado!" +</P> + +<P> +"I have my doubts." +</P> + +<P> +"Amontillado!" +</P> + +<P> +"And I must satisfy them." +</P> + +<P> +"Amontillado!" +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." +</P> + +<P> +"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your +own." +</P> + +<P> +"Come, let us go." +</P> + +<P> +"Whither?" +</P> + +<P> +"To your vaults." +</P> + +<P> +"My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive +you have an engagement. Luchesi—" +</P> + +<P> +"I have no engagement;—come." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +"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." +</P> + +<P> +Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Putting on a mask +of black silk, and drawing a <I>roquelaire</I> closely about my person, I +suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled +as he strode. +</P> + +<P> +"The pipe," said he. +</P> + +<P> +"It is farther on," said I; "but observe the white web-work which +gleams from these cavern walls." +</P> + +<P> +He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that +distilled the rheum of intoxication. +</P> + +<P> +"Nitre?" he asked, at length. +</P> + +<P> +"Nitre," I replied. "How long have you had that cough?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! ugh! ugh!—ugh! +ugh! ugh!" +</P> + +<P> +My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes. +</P> + +<P> +"It is nothing," he said, at last. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"Enough," he said; "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. +I shall not die of a cough." +</P> + +<P> +"True—true," I replied; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming +you unnecessarily—but you should use all proper caution. A draught of +this Medoc will defend us from the damps." +</P> + +<P> +Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of +its fellows that lay upon the mould. +</P> + +<P> +"Drink," I said, presenting him the wine. +</P> + +<P> +He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded to me +familiarly, while his bells jingled. +</P> + +<P> +"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us." +</P> + +<P> +"And I to your long life." +</P> + +<P> +He again took my arm, and we proceeded. +</P> + +<P> +"These vaults," he said, "are extensive." +</P> + +<P> +"The Montresors," I replied, "were a great and numerous family." +</P> + +<P> +"I forget your arms." +</P> + +<P> +"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent +rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." +</P> + +<P> +"And the motto?" +</P> + +<P> +"<I>Nemo me impune lacessit</I>." +</P> + +<P> +"Good!" he said. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +"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—" +</P> + +<P> +"It is nothing," he said; "let us go on. But first, another draught of +the Medoc." +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement—a grotesque one. +</P> + +<P> +"You do not comprehend?" he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Not I," I replied. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you are not of the brotherhood." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" +</P> + +<P> +"You are not of the masons." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, yes," I said; "yes, yes." +</P> + +<P> +"You? Impossible! A mason?" +</P> + +<P> +"A mason," I replied. +</P> + +<P> +"A sign," he said, "a sign." +</P> + +<P> +"It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of +my <I>roquelaire</I>. +</P> + +<P> +"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But let us proceed +to the Amontillado." +</P> + +<P> +"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. +</P> + +<P> +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. +</P> + +<P> +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 enable us to see. +</P> + +<P> +"Proceed," I said; "herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi—" +</P> + +<P> +"He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily +forward, while I followed immediately at his heels. In an instant he +had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress +arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. A moment more and I +had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron staples, +distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of +these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the +links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure +it. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I +stepped back from the recess. +</P> + +<P> +"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot help feeling the +nitre. Indeed, it is <I>very</I> damp. Once more let me <I>implore</I> you to +return. No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first +render you all the little attentions in my power." +</P> + +<P> +"The Amontillado!" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his +astonishment. +</P> + +<P> +"True," I replied; "the Amontillado." +</P> + +<P> +As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of bones of which +I have before spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity +of building stone and mortar. With these materials and with the aid of +my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the niche. +</P> + +<P> +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 <I>not</I> the cry of a drunken man. There 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. 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. When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel, +and finished without interruption the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh +tier. The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast. I again +paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few +feeble rays upon the figure within. +</P> + +<P> +A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the +throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a +brief moment I hesitated—I trembled. Unsheathing my rapier, I began +to grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an instant +reassured me. I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, +and felt satisfied. I reapproached the wall; I replied to the yells of +him who clamoured. I re-echoed—I aided—I surpassed them in volume +and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still. +</P> + +<P> +It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had +completed the eighth, the ninth, and the tenth tier. I had finished a +portion of the last and the eleventh; there remained but a single stone +to be fitted and plastered in. I struggled with its weight; I placed +it partially in its destined position. But now there came from out the +niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was +succeeded by a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognizing as that +of the noble Fortunato. The voice said— +</P> + +<P> +"Ha! ha! ha!—he! he! he!—a very good joke indeed—an excellent jest. +We shall have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo—he! he! +he!—over our wine—he! he! he!" +</P> + +<P> +"The Amontillado!" I said. +</P> + +<P> +"He! he! he!—he! he! he!—yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting +late? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato +and the rest? Let us be gone." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," I said, "let us be gone." +</P> + +<P> +"<I>For the love of God, Montresor!</I>" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!" +</P> + +<P> +But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. +I called aloud— +</P> + +<P> +"Fortunato!" +</P> + +<P> +No answer. I called again— +</P> + +<P> +"Fortunato—" +</P> + +<P> +No answer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and +let it fall within. There came forth in reply only a jingling of the +bells. My heart grew sick on account of the dampness of the catacombs. +I hastened to make an end of my labour. I forced the last stone into +its position; I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected +the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has +disturbed them. <I>In pace requiescat!</I> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1063 ***</div> +</BODY> + +</HTML> + + |