10
Credits roll over a black screen.
MONTRESOR (V.O.)
The thousand injuries of
Fortunato 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 or risk. I must not only
punish, but punish with impunity.
A wrong is redressed when
retribution overtakes its redresser.
It is equally unredressed when the
avenger fails to make himself as such
to him who has done the wrong.
INT. MONTRESOR’S HOUSE—NIGHT
People are all walking around, dancing, talking, while music plays in the background. MONTRESOR is talking to MARIE, who seems to be slightly bored. FORTUNADO walks over to them.
FORTUNATO
Good Isabella, might I ask
the Lady for a dance?
MARIE looks at MONTRESOR for a moment. He looks rather defeated. MARIE looks back at him then at FORTUNADO again. She gives him her hand and they walk off to dance. MONTRESOR looks toward them with contempt.
TIME CUT:
INT. MONTRESOR’S HOUSE—NIGHT
MONTRESOR is still sitting at the table with a flask in front of him, empty. FORTUNADO and MARIE are standing in one far corner of the room, talking and laughing. MONTRESOR looks toward them, eyes full of hate.
FORTUNATO
Montresor! Come, let Lady
Marie regale you with her
story of the Murders in the
Rue Morgue.
MONTRESOR
No, but I must be getting off
to my home. I must be up early
tomorrow, for I am to meet my
a man named Doral, a friend of
dear Luchesi.
FORTUNATO
And to what do you owe the
pleasure of your meeting.
MONTRESOR
You will see in time, dear
friend. In time, all will
be revealed to you.
At this, MONTRESOR turns and walks outside without another word while MARIE and FORTUNATO are still standing in the corner, looking toward him.
EXT. CITY STREETS—DUSK
MONTRESOR is walking down the street as FORTUNATO runs into him the other way. They both burst into smiles and shake each others’ hand.
MONTRESOR
My dear Fortunato, you are
luckily met. How remarkably
well you are looking today!
I have received a cask of
what passes for Amontillado,
and I have my doubts.
FORTUNATO
How? Amontillado? A cask?
Impossible! And in the middle
of the carnival!
MONTRESOR
I have my doubts, and was silly
enough to pay the full Amontillado
price without first consulting you
in the matter. You were not to
be found, and I was fearful of
losing such a bargain.
FORTUNATO
Amontillado!
MONTRESOR
I have my doubts.
FORTUNATO
Still, Amontillado!
MONTRESOR
And I must satisfy them.
FORTUNATO
Amontillado!
MONTRESOR
As you are engaged, I am on my
way to see Luchesi. If any
one has a critical turn, it
is he. He will tell me—
FORTUNATO
Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado
from Sherry.
MONTRESOR
And yet some fools have it that
his taste is a match for your
own.
FORTUNADO looks at his pocket watch for a moment before slipping it back into his breast pocket. He looks back up, thinking.
FORTUNATO
Come, let us go.
MONTRESOR
Whither?
FORTUNATO
To you vaults.
MONTRESOR
My friend, no. I will not
impose upon your good nature.
I perceive you have an
engagement. Luchesi—
FORTUNATO
I have no engagement. Come.
FORTUNADO then begins to walk off, down the street. Before he gets very far, MONTRESOR reaches out and stops him.
MONTRESOR
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 niter.
FORTUNATO
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.
FORTUNATO reaches out and holds onto MONTRESOR’s arm, leading him down the road.
INT. MONTRESOR’S HOUSE—DAY
MONTRESOR and FORTUNATO walk into the front door to find no one home. MONTRESOR walks over to one wall and takes a flambeaux from the sconce on the wall. They start making their way through several large rooms until finally they arrive at a door that opens up into the wine cellar.
INT. WINE CELLAR—DAY
They two walk into the wine cellar. MONTRESOR is barely
visible through the darkness. The flambeaux flickers.
(CONTINUES)
(CONTINUING)
FORTUNATO and MONTRESOR walk through several aisles of wine. When they finally get to a clearing in the catacombs, MONTRESOR stops and turns to FORTUNATO.
FORTUNATO
The cask?
MONTRESOR
Just a bit further. But notice
the white web-work which gleams
from the cavern walls.
FORTUNATO
Niter?
MONTRESOR
Niter. How long have you had
that cough?
FORTUNATO opens his mouth to speak. Before he can get the words out of his mouth, he starts into a coughing fit. MONTRESOR moves quickly over to him and pats him on the back, as if to help get the phlegm up.
FORTUNATO
It is nothing. Nothing at
all.
MONTRESOR
Come, 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—
FORTUNATO stands up straight for the first time since he started coughing.
FORTUNATO
Enough. The cough is a mere
nothing. It will not kill me.
FORTUNATO (CONT.)
I shall not die of a cough.
MONTRESOR
True, true. And indeed I had
no intention of alarming you
unnecessarily, but you should
use proper caution. A draught
of this Medoc will defend us
from the damps.
MONTRESOR reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a bottle of some sort of medicine. He opens the bottle, takes a drink, and holds it out to FORTUNATO.
MONTRESOR (CONT.)
Drink.
FORTUNATO takes the bottle from MONTRESOR and puts it to his lips. He sneers.
FORTUNATO
I drink to be buried that
repose around us.
MONTRESOR
And I to your long life.
FORTUNATO takes MONTRESOR’s arm and leads him again down the halls of the catacombs.
FORTUNATO
These vaults are quite extensive.
MONTRESOR
Te Montresors were a great and
numerous family.
FORTUNATO looks up, as if to think of something.
FOTUNATO
I forget your coat of arms.
MONTRESOR
A huge foot in a field of azure,
crushing a serpent whose fangs
MONTRESOR (CONT.)
are embedded in the heel.
FOTUNATO
And the motto?
MONTRESOR
Nemo me impune lacessit.
FORTUNATO
Oh, I see.
FORTUNATO takes another drink of the Medoc. He seems a bit inebriated as they continue down the halls. MONTRESOR looks at the walls, running is hands along them.
MONTRESOR
The niter. 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 before it
is too late. Your cough—
FORTUNATO
No! It is nothing. Let us go.
But firsts, another draft of the
Medoc.
MONTRESOR reaches into his pocket and hands FORTUNATO the flagon of wine. FORTUNATO drinks the wine in one gulp. He laughs and throws the bottle up with an odd gesture. MONTRESOR looks abashed.
FORTUNATO
You do no comprehend.
MONTRESOR
No.
FORTUNATO
Then you are not of the brotherhood.
MONTRESOR
Excuse?
FORTUNATO
You are not of the Masons.
MONTRESOR
Yes, yes, yes I am.
FORTUNATO
You? A Mason? Impossible.
MONTRESOR
A Mason.
FORTUNATO
A sign, then.
MONTRESOR reaches into his jacket pocket and produces a trowel. He holds it out for FORTUNATO to see.
MONTRESOR
See, it is this.
FORTUNATO
Surely you jest. But, let
us proceed.
The two start walking again. Finally, they get to the end of a hallway that seems to open up into a crypt. At the far end of the crypt there is a smaller niche off to the right. They both step up to the edge of the niche. FORTUNATO peers in.
MONTRESOR
Proceed. The Amontillado is
within. As for Luchesi—
FORTUNATO
He is a fool.
FORTUNATO steps into the niche, MONTRESOR following right behind. As FORTUNATO steps up to the far wall. Suddenly, MONTRESOR springs forward and chains FORTUNATO to the wall with a large chain. FORTUNATO starts laughing.
MONTRESOR
Pass your hand, if you will, over
the wall. You cannot help but
feel the niter. Indeed it is very
MONTRESOR (CONT.)
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.
FORTUNATO
The amontillado!
MONTRESOR
True, the amontillado.
While speaking, MONTRESOR starts working on building up a wall with bricks lying around the outsides of the niche.
TIME CUT:
MONTRESOR has finished eleven of the tiers. All left open is one brick. MONTRESOR stands on tiptoe and peers in.
MONTRERSOR (CONT.)
Fortunato!
FORTUNATO laughs almost maniacally for a moment before stopping.
FORTUNATO
An excellent jests. We will
have many a rich laugh about
this at the palazzo. Yes,
excellent. Will they not be
waiting for us at the palazzo?
The Lady Fortunato and the rest?
Let us be gone.
MONTRESOR
Yes, let us be gone.
FORTUNATO
For the love of God, Montresor!
MONTRESOR
Yes, for the love of God.
Fortunato!
FORTUNATO doesn’t answer.
MONTRESOR (CONT.)
Fortunato!
There is still no answer. After a moment, MONTRESOR thrusts the flambeaux into the hole in the stone. He waits another moment, as if to see if FORTUNATO answers. He never does. With a heave, MONTRESOR lifts the last stone into place.
FADE OUT