the raven(乌鸦)-第4节
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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 wont； to
smile in his face； and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the
thought of his immolation。
He had a weak pointthis Fortunatoalthough 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 skillful 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。 He accosted me with
excessive warmth； for he had been drinking much。 The man wore motley。
He had on a tight…fitting parti…striped dress； and his head was surmounted
by the conical cap and bells。 I was so 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 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 in the
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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 fearful of losing a bargain。〃
〃Amontillado！〃
〃I have my doubts。〃
〃Amontillado！〃
〃And I must satisfy them。〃
〃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〃
〃Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry。〃
〃And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your
own。〃
〃Come； let us go。〃
〃Whither？〃
〃To your vaults。〃
〃My friend； no； I will not impose upon your good nature。 I perceive
you have an engagement。 Luchesi〃
〃I have no engagement；come。〃
〃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。〃
〃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。〃
Thus speaking； Fortunato possessed himself of my arm。 Putting on a
mask of black silk； and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person； I
suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo。
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。
These orders were sufficient； I well knew； to insure their immediate
disappearance； one and all； as soon as my back was turned。
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I took from their sconces two flambeaux； and giving 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 damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors。
The gait of my friend was unsteady； and the bells upon his cap jingled
as he strode。
〃The pipe；〃 said he。
〃It is farther on；〃 said I； 〃but observe the white web…work which
gleams from these cavern walls。〃
He turned towards me； and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs
that distilled the rheum of intoxication。
〃Nitre？〃 he asked； at length。
〃Nitre；〃 I replied。 〃How long have you had that cough？〃
〃Ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ugh！ ugh！ ugh！
ugh！ ugh！ ugh！〃
My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes。
〃It is nothing；〃 he said； at last。
〃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； 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。〃
〃Truetrue；〃 I replied； 〃and； indeed； I had no intention of alarming
you unnecessarilybut you should use all proper caution。 A draught of
this Medoc will defend us from the damps。〃
Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row
of its fellows that lay upon the mould。
〃Drink；〃 I said； presenting him the wine。
He raised it to his lips with a leer。 He paused and nodded to me
familiarly； while his bells jingled。
〃I drink；〃 he said； 〃to the buried that repose around us。〃
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〃And I to your long life。〃
He again took my arm； and we proceeded。 〃These vaults；〃 he said；
〃are extensive。〃
〃The Montresors；〃 I replied； 〃were a great and numerous family。〃
〃I forget your arms。〃
〃A huge human foot d'or； in a field azure； the foot crushes a serpent
rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel。〃
〃And the motto？〃
〃 Nemo me impune lacessit。〃
〃Good！〃 he said。
The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled。 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
catacombs。 I paused again； and this time I made bold to seize Fortunato
by an arm above the elbow。
〃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…
…〃
〃It is nothing；〃 he said； 〃let us go on。 But first； another draught of the
Medoc。〃
I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grave。 He emptied it at a
breath。 His eyes flashed with a fierce light。 He laughed and threw the
bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand。
I looked at him in surprise。 He repeated the movementa grotesque
one。
〃You do not comprehend？〃 he said。
〃Not I；〃 I replied。
〃Then you are not of the brotherhood。〃
〃How？〃
〃You are not of the masons。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 I said； 〃yes； yes。〃
〃You？ Impossible！ A mason？〃
〃A mason；〃 I replied。
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〃A sign；〃 he said； 〃a sign。〃
〃It is this；〃 I answered； producing a trowel from beneath the folds of
my roquelaire。
〃You jest；〃 he exclaimed； recoiling a few paces。
