>> WHAT IS THIS?

>> WHY DID YOU GO TO WAR?

>> FOR MY COUNTRY.

>> AND YOU FOUGHT WITH PRIDE, WITH BRAVERY?

YOU ARE PART OF A LEGEND.

I HAVE SOMETHING OF A LEGEND, AS WELL.

>> POP, WHAT'S GOING ON?

WHY DID YOU BRING ME DOWN HERE?

WHO'S FORTUNATO?

>> WE ARE ALL BOUND BY OUR OWN DESTINY.

SOMETIMES IT BRINGS US TO DARK PLACES.

YOURS WAS TO PROTECT YOUR COUNTRY.

MINE WAS... TO PROTECT OUR NAME.

I BROUGHT YOU HERE SO THAT THAT LEGEND WOULD LIVE ON.

OUR NAME WOULD LIVE ON.

OH, MY BOY, HOW I HAVE WAITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY... FOR THE THOUSAND INJURIES OF FORTUNATO THAT I HAD BORNE AS BEST I 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.

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.

FORTUNATO, LIKE HIS COUNTRYMEN, WAS A QUACK, BUT IN THE MATTER OF OLD WINES, HE WAS SINCERE.

IT IS IN THIS SINCERITY THAT I CHOSE TO STRIKE.

IT WAS IN THIS RESPECT OF WINE THAT I DID NOT DIFFER FROM HIM MATERIALLY.

I WAS SKILLFUL IN THE ITALIAN VINTAGES MYSELF AND BOUGHT LARGELY WHENEVER I COULD.

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.

MY DEAR FORTUNATO, IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!

AND THE TIMING COULD NOT BE BETTER.

I NEED A CONNOISSEUR OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER, AND I WOULD PLEAD FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE MATTER.

I HAVE A PIPE OF WHAT PASSES FOR AMONTILLADO.

AND I HAVE MY DOUBTS.

>> HOW?

AMONTILLADO?

A PIPE?!

IMPOSSIBLE.

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CARNIVAL?

>> LIKE I SAID, I HAVE MY DOUBTS, 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.

>> OH, AMONTILLADO!

>> AND I MUST SATISFY THEM.

>> [ LAUGHS ] AMONTILLADO!

>> AS I CAN SEE, YOU ARE VERY BUSY.

I'M SURE LUCHESI IS AROUND SOMEWHERE.

IF ANYONE HAS A CRITICAL TURN, IT IS HIM.

HE WILL HELP ME.

>> LUCHESI... COULD NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMONTILLADO AND A KING'S TINKLE.

>> [ LAUGHS ] AND YET SOME FOOLS WILL HAVE IT THAT HIS TASTE IS A MATCH FOR YOUR OWN.

>> COME, LET US GO.

>> LET US GO WHERE?

>> TO YOUR VAULTS.

>> MY FRIEND, NO.

I WILL NOT IMPOSE UPON YOUR GOOD NATURE.

I PERCEIVE YOU HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT.

>> NO ENGAGEMENT.

>> MY FRIEND, NO.

IT IS NOT THE ENGAGEMENT BUT THE SEVERE COLD I CAN SEE YOU HAVE.

THE VAULTS ARE INSUFFERABLY DAMP.

THEY ARE ENCRUSTED WITH NITER.

>> NEVERTHELESS, LET US GO!

THE COLD IS NOTHING.

AMONTILLADO!

YOU HAVE BEEN IMPOSED UPON.

AND AS FOR LUCHESI, HE COULD NOT DISTINGUISH SHERRY FROM AMONTILLADO.

>> THERE WERE NO ATTENDANTS AT HOME.

THEY HAD ABSCONDED TO MAKE MERRY IN HONOR OF THE TIME.

[ CHUCKLES ] I HAD TOLD THEM THAT I SHOULD NOT RETURN UNTIL IN 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.

>> THE PIPE?

>> FURTHER ON.

BUT FIRST, OBSERVE THE WHITE WEB WORK WHICH GLEAMS FROM THESE CAVERN WALLS.

>> [ COUGHS ] NITER?

>> NITER.

>> [ COUGHING ] HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THAT COUGH?

>> [ COUGHING ] IT IS NOTHING.

[ COUGHING ] >> WE MUST GO BACK.

YOUR HEALTH IS PRECIOUS.

YOU'RE RICH, RESPECTED, ADMIRED, BELOVED.

YOU'RE HAPPY, AS I ONCE WAS.

YOU'RE A MAN TO BE MISSED.

FOR ME, IT IS NO MATTER.

>> [ Strained ] I WILL BE FINE.

>> WE WILL GO BACK.

YOU WILL BE ILL, AND I CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE.

>> [ COUGHING ] >> BESIDES, THERE'S ALWAYS LUCHESI.

>> ENOUGH!

ENOUGH.

THE COUGH IS A MERE NOTHING.

IT WILL NOT KILL ME.

I SHALL NOT DIE OF A COUGH.

>> [ LAUGHS ] TRUE, TRUE.

AND I HAD NO INTENTION OF ALARMING YOU UNNECESSARILY.

>> I'LL BE FINE.

>> BUT YOU SHOULD USE ALL PROPER CAUTION.

A DRAUGHT OF THIS MéDOC WILL DEFEND US FROM THE DAMPS.

>> AHA.

[ LAUGHS ] I DRINK TO THE BURIED THAT REPOSE AROUND US.

[ BOTH LAUGH ] AND I TO YOUR LONG LIFE.

>> [ CHUCKLES ] AND NOW THE AMONTILLADO.

[ LAUGHS ] >> ♪ AND IT'S NO, NAY, NEVER ♪ ♪ NO, NAY, NEVER NO MORE ♪ ♪ WILL I PLAY THE WILD ROVER ♪ ♪ NO, NEVER, NO MORE ♪ [ BOTH LAUGH ] >> AH, THESE VAULTS ARE EXTENSIVE.

[ CLEARS THROAT ] >> THE MONTRESSORS WERE A GREAT, NUMEROUS FAMILY.

>> OH, I-I FORGET YOUR ARMS.

[ LAUGHS ] >> A HUGE HUMAN FOOT D'OR IN A FIELD.

THE FOOT CRUSHES A SERPENT RAMPANT, WHOSE FANGS ARE IMBEDDED IN THE HEEL.

>> AND THE MOTTO?

>> NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT.

>> "NO ONE ATTACKS WITH IMPUNITY."

GOOD!

GOOD!

[ BOTH LAUGH ] SEE, THE NITER, IT INCREASES.

IT HANGS LIKE MOSS UPON THESE VAULTS.

WE ARE BELOW THE RIVER'S BED.

THE MOISTURE TRICKLES AMONG THE BONES.

COME, WE WILL GO BACK ERE IT IS TOO LATE.

YOUR COUGH -- >> THE COUGH IS NOTHING.

LET US GO ON.

BUT FIRST, ANOTHER DRAUGHT OF THE MéDOC.

[ LAUGHS ] YOU DO NOT COMPREHEND?

>> NO.

>> THEN YOU ARE NOT OF THE BROTHERHOOD.

THE MASONS.

>> YES.

YES, YES, YES.

>> IMPOSSIBLE!

YOU -- A MASON?

>> A MASON.

>> A SIGN.

>> THIS... IS YOUR SIGN.

>> [ LAUGHS ] YOU JEST!

[ BOTH LAUGH ] ALL RIGHT, LET'S PROCEED TO THE AMONTILLADO.

[ LAUGHS ] >> BE IT SO.

>> [ SIGHS ] [ LAUGHS ] >> COME.

>> [ LAUGHS ] >> LAST ONE, I PROMISE.

>> [ GRUNTS ] >> AS FOR LUCHESI... >> HE IS AN IGNORAMUS.

[ LAUGHS ] [ GASPS ] [ SCREAMS ] [ CHOKING, GASPING ] [ COUGHING LOUDLY ] [ BREATHING HEAVILY ] >> PASS YOUR HAND OVER THE WALL.

YOU CANNOT HELP FEELING THE NITER.

INDEED.

IT IS VERY DAMP.

ONCE MORE, I IMPLORE YOU TO RETURN.

NO?

[ LAUGHS ] THEN I MUST POSITIVELY LEAVE YOU!

>> [ COUGHING ] >> BUT FIRST... I MUST RENDER YOU ALL THE LITTLE ATTENTIONS IN MY POWER.

>> THE AMONTILLADO?

>> TRUE!

THE AMONTILLADO!

>> WHAT ARE... [ SCRAPING ] NO.

NO.

NO.

OH, NO.

[ CHAINS RATTLING ] [ GASPS ] [ CHAINS RATTLING ] OH, NO.

[ CHAINS RATTLING RHYTHMICALLY ] [ CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING ] [ MUSIC, RATTLING CONTINUES ] >> [ LAUGHS EVILLY ] [ SIGHS ] >> [ BREATHING HEAVILY ] [ SCRAPING ] [ CHAINS RATTLING ] NO.

[ RATTLING CONTINUES ] NO!

NO!

[ CHAINS RATTLING ] [ SCREAMS ] [ SCREAMING ] >> [ LAUGHS ] >> [ SCREAMING ] >> [ SCREAMING ] [ BOTH SCREAMING ] [ SCREAMING CONTINUES ] >> [ SCREAMING MANIACALLY ] [ SCREAMING ECHOES ] [ BREATHING HEAVILY ] >> [ CRYING ] [ CRYING CONTINUES ] [ LAUGHING ] A VERY GOOD JOKE, INDEED.

[ LAUGHS ] EXCELLENT JEST!

[ LAUGHS ] WE WILL HAVE MANY A RICH LAUGH ABOUT IT AT THE PALAZZO.

[ LAUGHS ] OVER OUR WINE!

[ LAUGHING ] >> THE AMONTILLADO?

>> YES, THE AMONTILLADO!

[ LAUGHS ] BUT IS IT NOT GETTING LATE?

WILL THEY NOT BE AWAITING US AT THE PALAZZO -- THE LADY FORTUNATO AND THE REST?

LET US BE GONE.

>> YES.

LET US BE GONE.

>> FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MONTRESSOR!

>> YES.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

[ SCRAPING ] >> [ CRIES ] [ SCRAPING CONTINUES ] [ SOBBING ] >> FORTUNATO?

[ RATTLING ] FORTUNATO!

[ RATTLING CONTINUES ] [ SIGHS ] 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 HALF A CENTURY, NO MORTAL HAS DISTURBED THEM.