The Cask of Amontillado
" The Cask of Amontillado" (sometimes spelled" The Casque of Amontillado" ) is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in Godey' s Lady' s Book in November 1846.
Story
The narrator [Montresor] talks to a priest about his sin. Montresor wants to take revenge on Fortunato for an insult.
During a masquerade (ball where people wear masks) in the city. Fortunato is dressed in a jester' s costume. Montresor tells Fortunato he has bought a wine called amontillado. He wants Fortunato to test it to be sure it is real. Montresor leads Fortunato into his underground catacombs/wine cellar to test the wine. When there, Montressor chains Fortunato and then walls him up alive in a niche.
Fortunato cries out" For the love of God, Montresor!" to which Montresor replies," Yes, for the love of God!" He twice calls out for a reply but hears nothing. Before placing the last stone, he drops a burning torch through the gap, but hears only the jester' s bells ringing.
The crime took place 50 years before. . . Montressor expresses no regrets except for remarking about Fortunato: In pace requiescat! (" May he rest in peace!" ).
Other websites
" The Cask of Amontillado" - Full text of the first printing, from Godey' s Lady' s Book, 1846
The Cask of Amontillado, found online at Ye Olde Library
The Cask of Amontillado at American Literature
Full text on PoeStories. com with hyperlinked vocabulary words.
Free-to-download MP3 dramatisation of the story (Yuri Rasovsky)
19th-century American short stories
Short stories by Edgar Allan Poe