1846
THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
Edgar Allan Poe
Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-49) - American poet, short-story writer, and critic who is best
known for his tales of ratiocination, his fantastical horror stories, and his genre-
founding detective stories. Poe, whose cloudy personal life is a virtual legend,
considered himself primarily a poet. Cask of Amontillado (1846) - A man is lured to a
wine cellar. This is one of Poe’s best-known, most highly regarded, and most realistic
stories.
THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
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 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 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.
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 in to smile in his face, and he did not
perceive that my to smile now was at the 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
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 the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him
materially; —I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I
could.
It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season,
that I encountered my friend. H