After Montesor, who is the narrator of "Cask of
Amontillado" walls his his foresworn enemy, he repeats the words of Fortunato with an
emphasis toward his justification of his revenge: "Yes,...for the love of God."
However, when Fortunato does not reply, Montesor grows impatient and shouts his victim's
name. Still, Fortunato does not reply, and Montesor cannot delight in his cruel revenge
as he wants:
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.
Montesor as narrator then
remarks that for fifty years no one has disturbed this grave of Fortunato.
"In pace requiescat!" he states ironically. However, the irony
seems to be spent upon Montesor himself as it is he who is disturbed by the horror of
his act. For, the perpetrator of the horrible deeds in this gothic tale is no
supernatural power, but the terrible act of one human being against another. It is this
realization of the real horror lying within himself that disturbs Montesor, that makes
him call out to Fortunato, and that keeps him for resting in peace over the murder he
has committed.
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