Buttheseotherapartmentsweredenselycrowded，andinthembeatfeverishlytheheartoflife。Andtherevelwentwhirlinglyon，untilatlengththerecommencedthesoundingofmidnightupontheclock。
Andthenthemusicceased，asIhavetold；andtheevolutionsofthewaltzerswerequieted；andtherewasanuneasycessationofallthingsasbefore。Butnowthereweretwelvestrokestobesoundedbythebelloftheclock；andthusithappened，perhaps，thatmoreofthoughtcrept，withmoreoftime，intothemeditationsofthethoughtfulamongthosewhorevelled。Andthus，too，ithappened，perhaps，thatbeforethelastechoesofthelastchimehadutterlysunkintosilence，thereweremanyindividualsinthecrowdwhohadfoundleisuretobecomeawareofthepresenceofamaskedfigurewhichhadarrestedtheattentionofnosingleindividualbefore。Andtherumorofthisnewpresencehavingspreaditselfwhisperinglyaround，therearoseatlengthfromthewholecompanyabuzz，ormurmur，expressiveofdisapprobationandsurprisethen，finally，ofterror，ofhorror，andofdisgust。
InanassemblyofphantasmssuchasIhavepainted，itmaywellbesupposedthatnoordinaryappearancecouldhaveexcitedsuchsensation。Intruththemasqueradelicenseofthenightwasnearlyunlimited；butthefigureinquestionhadout-HerodedHerod，andgonebeyondtheboundsofeventheprince’sindefinitedecorum。Therearechordsintheheartsofthemostrecklesswhichcannotbetouchedwithoutemotion。Evenwiththeutterlylost，towhomlifeanddeathareequallyjests，therearemattersofwhichnojestcanbemade。
Thewholecompany，indeed，seemednowdeeplytofeelthatinthecostumeandbearingofthestrangerneitherwitnorproprietyexisted。Thefigurewastallandgaunt，andshroudedfromheadtofootinthehabilimentsofthegrave。Themaskwhichconcealedthevisagewasmadesonearlytoresemblethecountenanceofastiffenedcorpsethattheclosestscrutinymusthavehaddifficultyindetectingthecheat。Andyetallthismighthavebeenendured，ifnotapproved，bythemadrevellersaround。ButthemummerhadgonesofarastoassumethetypeoftheRedDeath。Hisvesturewasdabbledinbloodandhisbroadbrow，withallthefeaturesoftheface，wasbesprinkledwiththescarlethorror。
WhentheeyesofPrinceProsperofelluponthisspectralimagewhichwithaslowandsolemnmovement，asifmorefullytosustainitsrole，stalkedtoandfroamongthewaltzershewasseentobeconvulsed，inthefirstmomentwithastrongshuddereitherofterrorordistaste；but，inthenext，hisbrowreddenedwithrage。
“Whodares？”hedemandedhoarselyofthecourtierswhostoodnearhim“whodaresinsultuswiththisblasphemousmockery？Seizehimandunmaskhimthatwemayknowwhomwehavetohangatsunrise，fromthebattlements！”
ItwasintheeasternorbluechamberinwhichstoodthePrinceProsperoasheutteredthesewords。Theyrangthroughoutthesevenroomsloudlyandclearlyfortheprincewasaboldandrobustman，andthemusichadbecomehushedatthewavingofhishand。
Itwasintheblueroomwherestoodtheprince，withagroupofpalecourtiersbyhisside。Atfirst，ashespoke，therewasaslightrushingmovementofthisgroupinthedirectionoftheintruder，whoatthemomentwasalsonearathand，andnow，withdeliberateandstatelystep，madecloserapproachtothespeaker。Butfromacertainnamelessawewithwhichthemadassumptionsofthemummerhadinspiredthewholeparty，therewerefoundnonewhoputforthhandtoseizehim；sothat，unimpeded，hepassedwithinayardoftheprince’sperson；and，whilethevastassembly，asifwithoneimpulse，shrankfromthecentresoftheroomstothewalls，hemadehiswayuninterruptedly，butwiththesamesolemnandmeasuredstepwhichhaddistinguishedhimfromthefirst，throughthebluechambertothepurplethroughthepurpletothegreenthroughthegreentotheorangethroughthisagaintothewhiteandeventhencetotheviolet，ereadecidedmovementhadbeenmadetoarresthim。Itwasthen，however，thatthePrinceProspero，maddeningwithrageandtheshameofhisownmomentarycowardice，rushedhurriedlythroughthesixchambers，whilenonefollowedhimonaccountofadeadlyterrorthathadseizeduponall。Heborealoftadrawndagger，andhadapproached，inrapidimpetuosity，towithinthreeorfourfeetoftheretreatingfigure，whenthelatter，havingattainedtheextremityofthevelvetapartment，turnedsuddenlyandconfrontedhispursuer。
Therewasasharpcryandthedaggerdroppedgleaminguponthesablecarpet，uponwhich，instantlyafterwards，fellprostrateindeaththePrinceProspero。Then，summoningthewildcourageofdespair，athrongoftherevellersatoncethrewthemselvesintotheblackapartment，and，seizingthemummer，whosetallfigurestooderectandmotionlesswithintheshadowoftheebonyclock，gaspedinunutterablehorroratfindingthegrave-cerementsandcorpse-likemaskwhichtheyhandledwithsoviolentarudeness，untenantedbyanytangibleform。
AndnowwasacknowledgedthepresenceoftheRedDeath。Hehadcomelikeathiefinthenight。Andonebyonedroppedtherevellersintheblood-bedewedhallsoftheirrevel，anddiedeachinthedespairingpostureofhisfall。Andthelifeoftheebonyclockwentoutwiththatofthelastofthegay。Andtheflamesofthetripodsexpired。AndDarknessandDecayandtheRedDeathheldillimitabledominionoverall。
THEthousandinjuriesofFortunatoIhadborneasIbestcould；
butwhenheventureduponinsult，Ivowedrevenge。You，whosowellknowthenatureofmysoul，willnotsuppose，however，thatIgaveutterancetoathreat。_Atlength_Iwouldbeavenged；thiswasapointdefinitivelysettled-buttheverydefinitivenesswithwhichitwasresolved，precludedtheideaofrisk。Imustnotonlypunish，butpunishwithimpunity。Awrongisunredressedwhenretributionovertakesitsredresser。Itisequallyunredressedwhentheavengerfailstomakehimselffeltassuchtohimwhohasdonethewrong。
Itmustbeunderstood，thatneitherbywordnordeedhadIgivenFortunatocausetodoubtmygoodwill。Icontinued，aswasmywont，tosmileinhisface，andhedidnotperceivethatmysmile_now_wasatthethoughtofhisimmolation。
Hehadaweakpoint-thisFortunato-althoughinotherregardshewasamantoberespectedandevenfeared。Hepridedhimselfonhisconnoisseurshipinwine。FewItalianshavethetruevirtuosospirit。Forthemostparttheirenthusiasmisadoptedtosuitthetimeandopportunity-topractiseimpostureupontheBritishandAustrian_millionaires_。Inpaintingandgemmary，Fortunato，likehiscountrymen，wasaquack-butinthematterofoldwineshewassincere。InthisrespectIdidnotdifferfromhimmaterially：I
wasskilfulintheItalianvintagesmyself，andboughtlargelywheneverIcould。
Itwasaboutdusk，oneeveningduringthesuprememadnessofthecarnivalseason，thatIencounteredmyfriend。Heaccostedmewithexcessivewarmth，forhehadbeendrinkingmuch。Themanworemotley。Hehadonatight-fittingparti-stripeddress，andhisheadwassurmountedbytheconicalcapandbells。Iwassopleasedtoseehim，thatIthoughtIshouldneverhavedonewringinghishand。
Isaidtohim-“MydearFortunato，youareluckilymet。Howremarkablywellyouarelookingto-day！ButIhavereceivedapipeofwhatpassesforAmontillado，andIhavemydoubts。”
“How？”saidhe。“Amontillado？Apipe？Impossible！Andinthemiddleofthecarnival！”
“Ihavemydoubts。”Ireplied；“andIwassillyenoughtopaythefullAmontilladopricewithoutconsultingyouinthematter。Youwerenottobefound，andIwasfearfuloflosingabargain。”
“Amontillado！”
“Ihavemydoubts。”
“Amontillado！”
“AndImustsatisfythem。”
“Amontillado！”
“Asyouareengaged，IamonmywaytoLuchesi。Ifanyonehasacriticalturn，itishe。Hewilltellme“
“LuchesicannottellAmontilladofromSherry。”
“Andyetsomefoolswillhaveitthathistasteisamatchforyourown。”
“Come，letusgo。”
“Whither？”
“Toyourvaults。”
“Myfriend，no；Iwillnotimposeuponyourgoodnature。I
perceiveyouhaveanengagement。Luchesi“
“Ihavenoengagement；-come。”
“Myfriend，no。Itisnottheengagement，buttheseverecoldwithwhichIperceiveyouareafflicted。Thevaultsareinsufferablydamp。Theyareencrustedwithnitre。”
“Letusgo，nevertheless。Thecoldismerelynothing。
Amontillado！Youhavebeenimposedupon。AndasforLuchesi，hecannotdistinguishSherryfromAmontillado。”
Thusspeaking，Fortunatopossessedhimselfofmyarm。Puttingonamaskofblacksilk，anddrawinga_roquelaire_closelyaboutmyperson，Isufferedhimtohurrymetomypalazzo。
Therewerenoattendantsathome；theyhadabscondedtomakemerryinhonorofthetime。IhadtoldthemthatIshouldnotreturnuntilthemorning，andhadgiventhemexplicitordersnottostirfromthehouse。Theseordersweresufficient，Iwellknew，toinsuretheirimmediatedisappearance，oneandall，assoonasmybackwasturned。
Itookfromtheirsconcestwoflambeaux，andgivingonetoFortunato，bowedhimthroughseveralsuitesofroomstothearchwaythatledintothevaults。Ipasseddownalongandwindingstaircase，requestinghimtobecautiousashefollowed。Wecameatlengthtothefootofthedescent，andstoodtogetheronthedampgroundofthecatacombsoftheMontresors。
Thegaitofmyfriendwasunsteady，andthebellsuponhiscapjingledashestrode。
“Thepipe。”saidhe。
“Itisfartheron。”saidI；“butobservethewhiteweb-workwhichgleamsfromthesecavernwalls。”
Heturnedtowardsme，andlookedintomyeyeswithtwofilmyorbsthatdistilledtherheumofintoxication。
“Nitre？”heasked，atlength。
“Nitre。”Ireplied。“Howlonghaveyouhadthatcough？”
“Ugh！ugh！ugh！-ugh！ugh！ugh！-ugh！ugh！ugh！-
ugh！ugh！ugh！-ugh！ugh！ugh！”
Mypoorfriendfounditimpossibletoreplyformanyminutes。
“Itisnothing。”hesaid，atlast。
“Come。”Isaid，withdecision，“wewillgoback；yourhealthisprecious。Youarerich，respected，admired，beloved；youarehappy，asonceIwas。Youareamantobemissed。Formeitisnomatter。Wewillgoback；youwillbeill，andIcannotberesponsible。Besides，thereisLuchesi“
“Enough。”hesaid；“thecoughisamerenothing；itwillnotkillme。Ishallnotdieofacough。”
“True-true。”Ireplied；“and，indeed，Ihadnointentionofalarmingyouunnecessarily-butyoushoulduseallpropercaution。
AdraughtofthisMedocwilldefendusfromthedamps。”
HereIknockedofftheneckofabottlewhichIdrewfromalongrowofitsfellowsthatlayuponthemould。
“Drink。”Isaid，presentinghimthewine。
Heraisedittohislipswithaleer。Hepausedandnoddedtomefamiliarly，whilehisbellsjingled。
“Idrink。”hesaid，“totheburiedthatreposearoundus。”
“AndItoyourlonglife。”
Heagaintookmyarm，andweproceeded。
“Thesevaults。”hesaid，“areextensive。”
“TheMontresors。”Ireplied，“wereagreatandnumerousfamily。”
“Iforgetyourarms。”
“Ahugehumanfootd’or，inafieldazure；thefootcrushesaserpentrampantwhosefangsareimbeddedintheheel。”
“Andthemotto？”
“_Nemomeimpunelacessit_。”
“Good！”hesaid。