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A Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

A Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

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 I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively 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 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 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 practice 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. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man wore motley. He had on a tightly-fitting party-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 today! 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 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 honor 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.

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-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! "Ugh-agh-agh!" 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." "True - true," I replied ; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you unnecessarily - but 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." "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, and we 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.

"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 here 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 Grâve. 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 movement - a 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. "A sign," he said. "It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire. "You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But let us proceed to the Amontillado." "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 the range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused the flambeaux rather to glow than flame.

At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared 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 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 been constructed for no especial use in itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of solid granite.

It was in vain that Fortunato, uplifting his dull torch, endeavored to pry into the depths of the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see.

"Proceed," I said ; "herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi --" "He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped 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 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 astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.

"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot help feeling the nitre. Indeed it is very damp. Once 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 recovered from his astonishment.

"True," I replied, "the Amontillado." As I said these words I busied myself among the pile 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.

I had scarcely laid the first tier of my masonry when 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 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 hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labors 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 with my breast. I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within.

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting 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 solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I reapproached the wall. I replied to the yells of him who clamored. I re-echoed - I aided - I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamorer grew still.

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 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 recognizing as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said -

"Ha ! ha ! ha ! - he ! he ! - a very good joke indeed - an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo - ha ! ha! he! he! - over our wine - he ! he ! he !" "The Amontillado !" I said.

"Hee hee hee-hee! Hee hee! Yes, the Amontillado. But 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." "For the love of God, Montressor!" "Yes," I said, "for the love of God !" But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. I called aloud -

"Fortunato!" No answer. I called again -

"Fortunato!" No answer still. I thrust a torch through the 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 labor. I forced the last stone into its position, I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them.


A Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe Das Fass Amontillado von Edgar Allan Poe Un barril de amontillado de Edgar Allan Poe Il castello di Amontillado di Edgar Allan Poe エドガー・アラン・ポーによるアモンティリヤアドの樽 에드거 앨런 포의 아몬티야도 상자 O Barril de Amontillado de Edgar Allan Poe Бочонок Амонтильядо" Эдгара Аллана По A Cask of Amontillado av Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe'dan Amontillado Fıçısı Бочка з Амонтільядо Едгар Аллан По 埃德加爱伦坡的一桶阿蒙蒂拉多

The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. Fortunatos tusind skader havde jeg båret over med, så godt jeg kunne, men da han vovede at fornærme mig, svor jeg hævn. Die tausend Verletzungen Fortunatos hatte ich ertragen, so gut ich konnte; aber als er es wagte, mich zu beleidigen, schwor ich Rache. The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. Las mil injurias de Fortunato las había soportado como pude; pero cuando se atrevió a insultarme, juré vengarme. 私が最善を尽くして負ったフォルトゥナートの千の怪我。しかし、彼が侮辱に挑戦したとき、私は復讐を誓った。 Тысячи ран Фортунато я перенес, как мог; но когда он осмелился на оскорбление, я поклялся отомстить. Fortunato'nun binlerce yarasına elimden geldiğince katlandım; ama hakarete kalkışınca intikam yemini ettim. Тисячі поранень Фортунато я переніс, як міг; але коли він наважився на образу, я поклявся помститися. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. Du, som kender min sjæls natur så godt, vil dog ikke tro, at jeg fremsatte en trussel. Tú, que conoces tan bien la naturaleza de mi alma, no supondrás, sin embargo, que pronuncié una amenaza. しかし、私の魂の性質をよく知っているあなたは、私が脅威に発話したとは思わないでしょう。 Ви, хто так добре знаєте природу моєї душі, не припустите, однак, що я виголосив погрозу. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled - but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. Al final sería vengado; este fue un punto definitivamente resuelto, pero la misma definitividad con la que fue resuelto, excluyó la idea de riesgo. とうとう私は復讐されるでしょう。これは決定的に解決されたポイントでした-しかし、それが解決された非常に決定的なものは、リスクの考えを排除しました。 Нарешті я буду помщений; це питання було остаточно вирішено, але сама остаточність, з якою його було вирішено, виключала ідею ризику. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. No sólo debo castigar, sino castigar con impunidad. 私は罰するだけでなく、罰せずに罰しなければなりません。 Я повинен не тільки карати, але карати безкарно. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. Un mal no se repara cuando la retribución alcanza a su reparador. 報復がその救済者を追い抜くとき、間違ったものは救済されません。 Крива не виправляється, коли відплата досягає того, хто її виправляє. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. Es igualmente irreparable cuando el vengador no se hace sentir como tal ante el que ha hecho el mal. 復讐者が間違ったことをした彼にそのように感じさせることができないとき、それは同様に救済されません。 Це так само невиправляється, коли месник не може відчути себе таким перед тим, хто вчинив зло.

It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. Debe entenderse que ni de palabra ni de hecho le había dado a Fortunato motivos para dudar de mi buena voluntad. 私がフォルトゥナートに私の善意を疑わせる理由を言葉でも行為でも与えなかったことを理解しなければなりません。 Треба розуміти, що ні словом, ні ділом я не дав Фортунато приводу сумніватися в моїй добрій волі. 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. Continué, como era mi costumbre, sonriendo en su rostro, y él no se dio cuenta de que mi sonrisa ahora era al pensar en su inmolación. 私は、私の意志と同じように、彼の顔に微笑みかけ続けました、そして、彼は私の微笑みが今彼の犠牲を考えていることに気づいていませんでした。 Я продовжував, за своїм звичаєм, усміхатися йому в обличчя, і він не помітив, що моя посмішка була зараз при думці про його жертву.

He had a weak point - this Fortunato - although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. 彼には弱点がありました-このFortunato-他の点では彼は尊敬され、恐れられる人でしたが。 У нього було слабке місце — цей Фортунато, — хоча в іншому він був людиною, яку варто поважати і навіть боятися. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. 彼はワインの愛好家であることに誇りを持っていた。 Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. 真の名手精神を持っているイタリア人はほとんどいません。 For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity - to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. En su mayor parte, su entusiasmo se adopta para adaptarse al momento y la oportunidad: para practicar la impostura sobre los millonarios británicos y austriacos. ほとんどの場合、彼らの熱意は時間と機会に合うように採用されています-英国とオーストリアの百万長者に強迫観念を実践することです。 По большей части их энтузиазм используется в соответствии со временем и возможностью - обманывать британских и австрийских миллионеров. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen , was a quack - but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. En pintura y en gemas, Fortunato, como sus compatriotas, era un charlatán, pero en lo que respecta a los vinos añejos era sincero. 絵画と宝石では、フォルトゥナートは彼の同胞のように、いんちきでした-しかし、古いワインに関しては、彼は誠実でした。 In this respect I did not differ from him materially : I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could. En este aspecto no difería materialmente de él: yo mismo era hábil en las añadas italianas y compraba en gran medida siempre que podía. この点で、私は彼と実質的に違いはありませんでした。私はイタリアのヴィンテージに精通しており、可能な限り主に購入しました。

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. カーニバルシーズンの最高の狂気のある夜、私が友人に出会ったのは夕暮れの頃でした。 He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. 彼はたくさん飲んでいたので、私に過度の暖かさを与えてくれました。 The man wore motley. El hombre vestía abigarrado. 男は雑多な服を着ていた。 He had on a tightly-fitting party-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. Llevaba un vestido ajustado de fiesta a rayas, y su cabeza estaba coronada por un gorro cónico y cascabeles. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand. Estaba tan complacido de verlo, que pensé que nunca debería haber terminado de retorcerle la mano. Я був такий радий його бачити, що подумав, що мені ніколи не варто було ламати йому руку.

I said to him, "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. Le dije: "Mi querido Fortunato, por suerte te encontramos. How remarkably well you are looking today! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts." Pero he recibido una pipa de lo que pasa por amontillado, y tengo mis dudas ". "How ?" said he.

"Amontillado ? A pipe ? Impossible ! And 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. "Tengo mis dudas", respondí; "y fui lo suficientemente tonto como para pagar el precio completo del Amontillado sin consultarte sobre el asunto. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain." No te encontraban y tenía miedo de perder una ganga". "Amontillado!" "I have my doubts." "Amontillado!" "And I must satisfy them." Y debo satisfacerlos. "Amontillado!" "As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. "Como estás comprometido, estoy en camino a Luchesi. If any one has a critical turn, it is he. Si alguien tiene un giro crítico, es él. He will tell me." Él me lo dirá". "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." "Luchesi no puede distinguir el Amontillado del Sherry". «Лучези не может отличить Амонтильядо от Шерри». "And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own." "Y, sin embargo, algunos tontos pensarán que su gusto es igual al tuyo". «И все же некоторые дураки будут думать, что его вкус совпадает с вашим». "Come, let us go." «Пойдем, пойдем». "Whither?" "Куда?" "To your vaults." "A sus bóvedas". «В свои хранилища». "My friend, no ; I will not impose upon your good nature. "Amigo mío, no; no voy a imponerme a tu buena naturaleza. -- Друг мой, нет, я не буду навязывать вам вашу добрую натуру. I perceive you have an engagement. Veo que tienes un compromiso. Я так понимаю, у вас помолвка. Luchesi --" Лучези --" "I have no engagement. "No tengo ningún compromiso. "У меня нет помолвки. Come." Прийти." "My friend, no. "Мой друг, нет. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. No es el compromiso, sino el frío severo con el que percibo que estás afligido. Дело не в помолвке, а в сильной простуде, которой, как я вижу, вы страдаете. The vaults are insufferably damp. Las bóvedas están insoportablemente húmedas. They are encrusted with nitre." "Let us go, nevertheless. "Vámonos, no obstante. The cold is merely nothing. El frío es simplemente nada. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. Se te ha impuesto. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado." Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Así hablando, Fortunato se apoderó de mi brazo. Putting on a mask of black silk, and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo. Poniéndome una máscara de seda negra y ceñíndome un roquelaire, le permití que me llevara de prisa a mi palazzo.

There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honor of the time. No había asistentes en casa; se habían fugado para divertirse en honor de la época. I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. Les había dicho que no regresaría hasta la mañana y les había dado órdenes explícitas de no moverse de la casa. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned. Estas órdenes eran suficientes, bien lo sabía, para asegurar su desaparición inmediata, una y todas, tan pronto como les diera la espalda.

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. Cogí dos flambeaux de sus candelabros y, dándole uno a Fortunato, lo hice pasar por varias suites de habitaciones hasta el arco que conducía a las bóvedas. I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. Bajé por una escalera larga y sinuosa, pidiéndole que fuera cauteloso mientras me seguía. We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors. Llegamos por fin al pie de la pendiente y nos detuvimos juntos en el suelo húmedo de las catacumbas de los Montresor.

The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled as he strode. El andar de mi amigo era inestable, y las campanillas de su gorra tintineaban mientras caminaba.

"The pipe?" said he.

"It is farther on," said I, "but observe the white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls." "Está más allá", dije yo, "pero observa la telaraña blanca que brilla en las paredes de estas cavernas". He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication. Se volvió hacia mí y me miró a los ojos con dos diáfanas órbitas que destilaban legañas de embriaguez.

"Nitre?" "¿Nitro?" he asked, at length. preguntó, por fin.

"Nitre." I replied.

"How long have you had that cough ?" "Ugh-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! - Ugh-agh-agh! "Ugh-agh-agh!" My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes. A mi pobre amigo le resultó imposible responder durante muchos minutos.

"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. Eres rico, respetado, admirado, amado; eres feliz, como yo lo fui una vez. You are a man to be missed. Eres un hombre que se debe extrañar. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Volveremos; estarás enfermo y no puedo ser responsable. Besides, there is Luchesi --" Además, está Luchesi... "Enough," he said ; "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. "Basta", dijo; "La tos es una mera nada; no me matará. I shall not die of a cough." No moriré de tos". "True - true," I replied ; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you unnecessarily - but you should use all proper caution. A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps." Una corriente de este Médoc nos defenderá de las humedades. Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of its fellows that lay upon the mould. Aquí rompí el cuello de una botella que saqué de una larga fila de sus compañeros que yacían sobre el molde.

"Drink," I said, presenting him the wine. He raised it to his lips with a leer. Se lo llevó a los labios con una mirada lasciva. He paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled.

"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us." "Yo bebo", dijo, "a los enterrados que reposan a nuestro alrededor". "And I to your long life." "Y yo a tu larga vida". 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." "Olvidé tus brazos." "A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure ; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel." "Un enorme pie de oro humano, en un campo azul; el pie aplasta a una serpiente rampante cuyos colmillos están incrustados en el talón". «Огромная человеческая нога d'or в лазурном поле; ступня давит свирепую змею, чьи клыки вонзились в пятку». "And the motto?" "Nemo me impune lacessit." "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, and we passed through walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs. Mi propia fantasía se calentó con el Médoc, y atravesamos paredes de huesos apilados, con toneles y punzones entremezclados, hasta los rincones más recónditos de las catacumbas. I paused again, and this time I made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow. Volví a hacer una pausa, y esta vez me atreví a agarrar a Fortunato por un brazo por encima del codo.

"The nitre!" "¡El nitro!" I said, "see, it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults. Cuelga como musgo sobre las bóvedas. We are below the river’s bed. Estamos debajo del lecho del río. The drops of moisture trickle among the bones. Las gotas de humedad se escurren entre los huesos. Come, we will go back here it is too late. Ven, volveremos aquí es demasiado tarde. Your cough!" ¡Tu tos!" "It is nothing," he said ; "let us go on. "No es nada", dijo; "Sigamos adelante. But first, another draught of the Medoc." Pero primero, otro trago del Medoc. I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grâve. Rompí y le alcancé una jarra de De Grâve. He emptied it at a breath. Lo vació de un suspiro. His eyes flashed with a fierce light. Sus ojos brillaron con una luz feroz. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand. Se rió y tiró la botella hacia arriba con un gesto que no entendí.

I looked at him in surprise. Lo miré con sorpresa. He repeated the movement - a grotesque one. Repitió el movimiento, uno grotesco.

"You do not comprehend ?" he said.

"Not I," I replied. "Then you are not of the brotherhood." "Entonces no eres de la hermandad". "How ?" "You are not of the masons." "Yes, yes," I said, "yes, yes." "You? Impossible A mason ?" Imposible ¿Un albañil?" "A mason," I replied. "A sign," he said. "It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire. "Es esto", respondí, sacando una paleta de debajo de los pliegues de mi roquelaire. "You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "Bromeas", exclamó, retrocediendo unos pasos. "But let us proceed to the Amontillado." "Be it so," I said, replacing the tool beneath the cloak, and again offering him my arm. "Que así sea", dije, colocando la herramienta debajo de la capa y ofreciéndole de nuevo mi brazo. He leaned upon it heavily. Se apoyó pesadamente en él. We continued our route in search of the Amontillado. Continuamos nuestra ruta en busca del Amontillado. We passed through the range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused the flambeaux rather to glow than flame.

At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared 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 down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one point a mound of some size. Desde el cuarto, los huesos habían sido arrojados y yacían promiscuamente sobre la tierra, formando en un punto un montículo de cierto tamaño. 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. Dentro de la pared así expuesta por el desplazamiento de los huesos, percibimos un hueco interior inmóvil, de unos cuatro pies de profundidad, tres de ancho, seis o siete de alto. В стене, таким образом обнажившейся благодаря смещению костей, мы увидели глубокую внутреннюю нишу глубиной около четырех футов, шириной три и высотой шесть или семь. It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use in itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of solid granite.

It was in vain that Fortunato, uplifting his dull torch, endeavored to pry into the depths of the recess. Fue en vano que Fortunato, alzando su antorcha sin brillo, se esforzó por curiosear en las profundidades del nicho. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see. Su terminación la débil luz no nos permitió ver.

"Proceed," I said ; "herein is the Amontillado. "Proceda", le dije; "Aquí está el Amontillado. As for Luchesi --" "He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily forward, while I followed immediately at his heels. 「彼は無知なんだ」と私の友人が口を挟んだ。 In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. En un instante había llegado al extremo del nicho, y al ver que la roca detenía su avance, se quedó estúpidamente desconcertado.

A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. Un momento más y lo había encadenado al granito. In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. En su superficie había dos grapas de hierro, distantes entre sí unos dos pies, en forma horizontal. From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. De uno de ellos pendía una cadena corta, del otro un candado. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. Lanzando los eslabones alrededor de su cintura, fue solo el trabajo de unos segundos asegurarlo. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.

"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall; you cannot help feeling the nitre. —Pase la mano —dije— por encima del muro; no podrá evitar sentir el salitre. Indeed it is very damp. De hecho, es muy húmedo. Once more let me implore you to return. No? Then I must positively leave you. Entonces debo dejarte definitivamente. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power." Pero antes debo prestarte todas las pequeñas atenciones que estén en mi poder. "The Amontillado!" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment. exclamó mi amigo, aún no recuperado de su asombro.

"True," I replied, "the Amontillado." As I said these words I busied myself among the pile 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. Con estos materiales y con la ayuda de mi paleta, comencé vigorosamente a tapiar la entrada del nicho.

I had scarcely laid the first tier of my masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. Apenas había colocado la primera hilera de mi mampostería cuando descubrí que la embriaguez de Fortunato se había disipado en gran medida. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of 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 hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labors and sat down upon the bones. El ruido duró varios minutos, durante los cuales, para poder escucharlo con mayor satisfacción, cesé en mis labores y me senté sobre los huesos.

When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel, and finished without interruption the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh tier. Cuando por fin cesó el ruido metálico, reanudé la paleta y terminé sin interrupción la quinta, la sexta y la séptima hileras. The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast. I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within. Volví a hacer una pausa y, sosteniendo los flambeaux sobre la obra de albañilería, arrojé unos débiles rayos sobre la figura que había dentro.

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. Una sucesión de gritos fuertes y estridentes, que brotaron repentinamente de la garganta de la forma encadenada, pareció empujarme violentamente hacia atrás. 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 solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I reapproached the wall. Me acerqué a la pared. I replied to the yells of him who clamored. Respondí a los gritos del que clamaba. I re-echoed - I aided - I surpassed them in volume and in strength. Repetí - ayudé - los superé en volumen y en fuerza. I did this, and the clamorer grew still. Hice esto, y el clamor se aquietó.

It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. Ahora era medianoche, y mi tarea estaba llegando a su fin. 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 fitted and plastered in. Había terminado una parte del último y del undécimo; sólo quedaba una piedra para colocar y enlucir. 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 recognizing as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said -

"Ha ! ha ! ha ! - he ! he ! - a very good joke indeed - an excellent jest. - un chiste muy bueno en verdad - un chiste excelente. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo - ha ! ha! he! he! - over our wine - he ! he ! he !" "The Amontillado !" I said.

"Hee hee hee-hee! Hee hee! Yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? ¿Pero no se está haciendo tarde? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us be gone." Vámonos". "Yes," I said, "let us be gone." "For the love of God, Montressor!" "Yes," I said, "for the love of God !" But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. Pero a estas palabras escuché en vano una respuesta. I grew impatient. I called aloud -

"Fortunato!" No answer. I called again -

"Fortunato!" No answer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within. Empujé una antorcha a través de la abertura restante y la dejé caer dentro. Я просунул факел в оставшееся отверстие и позволил ему упасть внутрь. There came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. В ответ раздался лишь звон колокольчиков. My heart grew sick - on account of the dampness of the catacombs. Mi corazón se enfermó a causa de la humedad de las catacumbas. I hastened to make an end of my labor. I forced the last stone into its position, I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones. Contra la nueva mampostería, volví a erigir la antigua muralla de huesos. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them.