Бочонок амонтильядо

           “Myfriend,no;Iwillnotimposeuponyourgoodnature. Iperceiveyouhaveanengagement. Luchresi—” 

           “Ihavenoengagement;—come.” 

           “Myfriend,no. Itisnottheengagement,buttheseverecoldwithwhichIperceiveyouareafflicted. Thevaultsareinsufferablydamp. Theyareencrustedwithnitre.” 

           “Letusgo,nevertheless. Thecoldismerelynothing. Amontillado! Youhavebeenimposedupon. AndasforLuchresi,hecannotdistinguishSherryfromAmontillado.” 

           Thusspeaking,Fortunatopossessedhimselfofmyarm; andputtingonamaskofblacksilkanddrawingaroquelairecloselyaboutmyperson,Isufferedhimtohurrymetomypalazzo. 

           Therewerenoattendantsathome; theyhadabscondedtomakemerryinhonourofthetime. IhadtoldthemthatIshouldnotreturnuntilthemorning,andhadgiventhemexplicitordersnottostirfromthehouse. Theseordersweresufficient,Iwellknew,toinsuretheirimmediatedisappearance,oneandall,assoonasmybackwasturned. 

           Itookfromtheirsconcestwoflambeaux,andgivingonetoFortunato,bowedhimthroughseveralsuitesofroomstothearchwaythatledintothevaults. Ipasseddownalongandwindingstaircase,requestinghimtobecautiousashefollowed. Wecameatlengthtothefootofthedescent,andstoodtogetheruponthedampgroundofthecatacombsoftheMontresors.