The Carnival

Fortunato hurt me a thousand times, and I said nothing. But when he insulted me, I promised myself one thing: I would have my revenge. I would punish him, and nobody would ever punish me for it. And Fortunato would know who was punishing him.

I did not show my anger. I smiled at Fortunato as always, and he did not know that I was smiling at the thought of his death.

Fortunato had one weakness. He was very proud of his knowledge of wine. He was a strong man, people respected him and even feared him, but about wine he was a real expert. I knew a lot about wine too. I bought good wines whenever I could.

One evening, during the carnival, I met him in the street. It was the time of the year when everybody in the city goes out in costumes, dances and drinks. Fortunato had been drinking a lot. He was dressed as a clown, in tight clothes with stripes of many colors, and on his head he wore a tall pointed hat with little bells. I was so happy to see him that I shook his hand for a long time.

“My dear Fortunato,” I said, “how lucky I am to meet you! Today I received a cask, a big barrel, of what they call Amontillado. But I have my doubts.”

“Amontillado?” he said. “Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival?”

“I have my doubts,” I repeated. “And I paid the full price without asking you. I could not find you, and I was afraid of losing a good deal.”

“Amontillado!”

“You are busy,” I said. “I am going to ask Luchesi. He knows about wine. He will tell me.”

“Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from ordinary sherry!” he cried. “Come, let us go to your cellars.”

“No, my friend. I see you have a bad cold, and the cellars are very damp. They are covered with nitre, a white salt that grows on the walls.”

“Let us go anyway. The cold is nothing. Amontillado! Luchesi knows nothing.”

So Fortunato took my arm. I put on a black silk mask and a long cloak, and we hurried to my palace.

There were no servants at home. I had told them that I would not return until morning, and I had ordered them not to leave the house. I knew that, with those orders, they would all leave as soon as I turned my back.