FACULTAD DE ESTUDIOS SUPERIORES CUAUTITLÁN
CENTRO DE IDIOMAS
Reading Level 7
The Cask of Amontillado – Edgar Allan Poe
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I
best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed
5 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 settled--but the very definitiveness with
which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I
10 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.
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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
45 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
50 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
55 fearful of losing a bargain."
"Amontillado!"
15
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
20 thought of his immolation.
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
25 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
30 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.
"I have my doubts."
60
"Amontillado!"
"And I must satisfy them."
65 "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-- "
70 "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."
"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a
match for your own."
75 "Come, let us go."
"Whither?"
35 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 party-striped dress, and his head was
40 surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so
1
"To your vaults."
80
"My friend, no. I will not impose upon your good
nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Luchesi--"
"I have no engagement--come."
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2
85
"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."
130 "Nitre," I replied. "How long have you had that
"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."
135
Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm.
Putting on a mask of black silk, and drawing a
roquelaure closely about my person, I suffered him to
hurry me to my palazzo.
140
cough?"
"Ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh! ugh! ugh!--ugh!
ugh! ugh! ugh! ugh! ugh!"
90
My poor friend found it impossible to reply. for many
minutes.
"It is nothing," he said at last.
95
100
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.
105 These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure
their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as
my back was turned.
"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;
145 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."
150
"True--true."
intention of
should use all
will defend us
I took from their sconces two flambeaux, and giving
110 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
115 damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors.
I replied; "and indeed, I had no
alarming you unnecessarily--but you
proper caution. A draught of this Medoc
from the damps."
155
Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew
from a long row of its fellows that lay upon the
mould.
160 "Drink," I said, presenting him the wine.
The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon
his cap jingled as he strode.
He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and
nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled.
120 "The pipe," said he.
165 "I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around
"It is farther on," said I; "but observe the white
webwork which gleams from these cavern walls."
us."
"And I to your long life."
125 He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two
filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication.
"Nitre?" he asked, at length.
170 He again took my arm, and we proceeded.
"These vaults," he said, "are extensive."
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"Not I," I replied.
"The Montresors,"
175 numerous family."
I
replied,
"were
a
great
and
215
"Then you are not of the brotherhood."
"I forget your arms."
"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot
"How?"
220 "You are not of the masons."
180 crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in
the heel."
"Yes, yes," I said, "yes, yes."
"And the motto?"
185 "Nemo me impune lacessit."1
"You? Impossible! A mason?"
225
"A mason," I replied.
"Good!" he said.
The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled.
"A sign," he said.
230 "It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from
190 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 the
catacombs. I paused again, and this time I made bold
to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow.
195
"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-- "
200
"It is nothing," he said; "let us go on. But first,
another draught of the Medoc."
beneath the folds of my roquelaure.
"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But
let us proceed to the Amontillado."
235
"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,
240 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
I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grâve. He
205 emptied it at a breath. His eyes flashed with a fierce
light. He laughed, and threw the bottle upward with a
gesticulation I did not understand.
I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement-
210 -a grotesque one.
"You do not comprehend?" he said.
1
"No one insults me with impunity"
245 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 the bones had been thrown
250 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
255 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
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was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of
solid granite.
260
It was in vain that Fortunate, uplifting his dull
torch, endeavored to pry into the depth of the recess.
Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to
see.
265
"Proceed," I said; "herein is the Amontillado. As for
Luchesi--"
"He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he
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
275 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
280 astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key, I stepped
back from the recess.
270 stepped
"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot
help feeling the nitre. Indeed it is very damp. Once
285 more let me implore you to return. No? Then I must
positively leave you. But I must first render you all
the little attentions in my power."
"The
Amontillado!"
ejaculated
my
friend,
not
yet
290 recovered from his astonishment.
"True," I replied; "the Amontillado."
As I said these words I busied myself among the pile
295 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.
300
I had scarcely laid the first tier of the masonry when
4
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
305 the recess. It was not 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
310 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
315 with my breast. I again paused, and holding the
flambeaux over the masonwork, threw a few feeble rays
upon the figure within.
A
succession
of
loud
and
shrill
screams,
bursting
320 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
325 solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I
reapproached the wall. I replied to the yells of him
who clamoured. I reechoed--I aided--I surpassed them
in volume and in strength. I did this, and the
clamourer grew still.
330
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
335 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 recognising as
340 that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said:
"Ha! ha! ha!--he! he! he!--a very good joke indeed--an
excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about
it at the palazzo--he! he! he!--over our wine--he! he!
345 he!"
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5
Azure: the color blue, especially in a coat of arms, where
"The Amontillado!" I said.
it is represented by horizontal lines
"He! he! he!--he! he! he!--yes, the Amontillado. But
350 is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us
at the palazzo--the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let
us be gone."
"Yes," I said, "let us be gone."
participle
of
bear,
to
carry
something,
to
tolerate or endure something
Cask: A large barrel used to store a liquid, especially
alcoholic drinks
Crypt: an underground vault especially one used as a burial
"For the love of God, Montresor!"
place
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God!"
D’or: of gold, yellow
360 But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I
grew impatient. I called aloud:
De Grave: very fine wine named after the region of France
where it is made
Draught: the amount of liquid that is drunk in one swallow
"Fortunato!"
Dusk: a period of time at the end of the day when the sun
sets
365 No answer. I called again:
Endeavour: to try and do something with lots of effort
"Fortunato!"
answer
past
Catacomb: a subterranean tunnel system used to bury the dead
355
No
Borne:
Feeble: something that lacks force or efficiency in action,
still.
I
thrust
a
torch
through
the
370 remaining aperture and let it fall within. There came
forth in return 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
375 it up. Against the new masonry I reerected the old
rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal
has disturbed them. In pace requiescat.
debilitated
Fettered: bound and restricted by chains
Flagon: a large bottle for drinks such as wine, about 1.13
liters
Flambeaux: a torch that is already burning
Gait: manner of walking or stepping
Gemmary: working with precious stones, the art of making
jewelry
Ignoramus: a totally ignorant person, without education, a
Glossary
fool
Accosted:
to
approach
someone
and
speak
boldly
and
Immolation: an act of sacrificing a person, usually with
aggressively
fire
Amontillado: A type of Spanish wine, a dry sherry
Connoisseurship:
Arms: another way to refer to the coat of arms, symbols and
specific field, especially in arts
designs drawn on a shield that represent a family
Imposed: to inconvenience someone
being
a
connoisseur,
a
specialist
in
a
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Imposture: the act or conduct of an impostor, pretend to be
Preclude: remove the possibility of, to make impossible
what you are not
Quack:
Impunity: freedom from punished, to get away with something
incompetent healer
without any consequences
Rampant: when an animal in heraldry is depicted on profile
In
pace
requiescat:
latin
usually written requiescat
for
‘may
he
rest
in
peace’,
in pace, RIP, from which also
a
charlatan,
who
pretends
to
be
a
doctor,
an
and standing on its back legs, rearing
Rapier: a slender, straight, very pointy sword
comes the English use ‘Rest in Peace’
Recoil: to pull or move back, especially in disgust, horror
Injury: something which causes damage to an individual’s
or surprise
person or character or feelings. An insult or offense
Redresser: one who grants or achieves redress, who fixes or
Jest: old term for a joke
repairs something or pardons offenses.
Jingle: to make a noise like metal or glass tapping against
Render: to give
itself
Retribution: punishment given by personal vengeance
Medoc: very fine wine named after the region of France where
Rheum: liquid or mucus discharged from the eyes because of
it is made
illness
Mortar: a mixture of water, cement and sand used to join
Roquelaure: old term for a lined and trimmed cloak that
bricks and stones
reaches the knees
Motley: something that has several colors mixed together. In
Sconces: light fixture, supports that hold lights or torches
this case refers to a harlequin costume
Silk: a fine, soft cloth woven from the threads made by a
Motto: a word or phrase in a coat of arms that further
special kind of worm
represents the qualities of the family
Tier: a layer or row, in this case of stones
Mould:
natural
substance
that
looks
white
or
black
and
Trowel: triangular tool used to spread mortar on bricks and
appears when food stuffs are left exposed to air for a long
also to break them
time
Unredressed: to not fix or repair something, make amends for
Nitre: saltpeter, a mineral that can be seen in the walls of
an injury
very cold and damp places
Vain: without purpose or with very little effect, pointless
Orb: of an spherical, round shape, a globe
Vault: a secure, enclosed area, especially an underground
Overtakes:
to
pass
something
that
is
moving
slower,
to
become greater than something else
Palazzo:
residential
building
of
room used for burial, to store valuables or wine
Vintage: Wine, especially of high quality, also the year in
grand
scale
and
rich
which the wine was made
furnishings
Virtuoso: a person with master ability or skill
Pipe: an old measure of capacity for liquids, around 476
Whither: old word for ‘to which place’
liters
Wont: as an adjective, accustomed or used to, designates
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habitual behavior
Wring: to squeeze and shake something
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