, 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 a range of low arches,
descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in
which the foulness of the air caused our 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 replie