Heart of Amontillado
I had just returned from America for wine trading business. I did pretty well there. Happy to be coming back to my girlfriend, Mirabella, I bought her flowers at the flower shop on the way to her house. I looked lurid from the long boat ride home. Either way, I was going to propose to her. While in America, I traded with some miners for a diamond and gold. I got a blacksmith to shape the gold into a ring and to put the diamond inside it.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out cloth and unwrapped it. It was still there, the ring I got for my beloved Mirabella. It still stayed in my pocket the whole boat ride back. I hoped she liked it. The whole way back, I contemplated on how I would ask her. I never made up my mind. Maybe I should've just asked her. Or maybe I should've waited until the next day.
It was five whole years since the last time I saw her. I had to see her at that moment. Ever since I left, I could not wait until the day of my return. I had been planning our engagement since. I would not wait another day. I came back later than what I told her, anyways.
"Montresor!" my friend, Luchesi, said as he walked towards me while I was on my way to Mirabella's house. I put the ring wrapped in cloth back into my pocket.
"What is it, my friend?" I asked Luchesi. He looked as if he smelled something horrid. It was most likely me since I still smelled like I just got off a boat.
"It's about Mirabella."
My heart stopped. I thought he was going to tell me she was dead. I've been gone for a while, enough time for a sickness to fall over Italy.
"What of her?" I asked hoping nothing bad.
Luchesi looked around, as if what he was going to tell me was a secret.
"Fortunado," he said.
"Fortunado?" I asked.
Luchesi looked shy to answer. I thought, maybe my old friend, Fortunado, murdered her. But I knew Fortunado would never do something as ruthless as murdering. He was too good for that. He was a good man.
"He and Mirabella…" he started to stay.
I wanted him to hurry up. He was taking a long dramatic pause.
"Are?" I asked trying to get an answer out of him.
Luchesi paused again.
"Are married."
My heart felt like it was going to sink to the ground, appear on the other side of the Earth, then fall off the Earth. This was the best way I could explain how I felt. I just felt great pain. Maybe another way to explain it was Fortunado and Mirabella, both, taking a knife and stabbing me in the heart. Thinking about them working together to kill me, made me feel even worse. I felt severe sorrow. I was morose.
Luchesi could see how I felt.
"Are you okay, Montresor?" he asked. "You don't look the same."
"I'm fine," I said trying to force a smile. All that could come out was anger.
"Are you sure?" he asked as I stomped off. He knew where I was going. Anyone knew where I would be going.
I arrived at the front of Fortunado's palazzo. I knew Fortunado would be there. He was always home, unless there was a big party to go to. Most of the parties in this town are held at his house, though.
I looked around for him in the front of his house. He was nowhere in sight, but one of his servants came out the front entrance. I walked up to her.
"Do you know where Fortunado is?" I asked.
"He's out in the back, with his wife," the plump woman replied. I nodded.
The gate to his backyard was surrounded by vines. I pushed them out of the way to open up the gate. There was a path of rocks leading to the garden in Fortunado's backyard was. I turned to my left to see Fortunado and my beloved Mirabella watching the scenery of their backyard. Their backs were facing towards me. His arm was wrapped around her while they drank amontillado. I felt as if my heart that fell off the Earth now sank into a distant planet. Maybe it even sunk into the sun. I couldn't bear watching them any longer. I couldn't understand why Fortunado did that. He was my friend. He knew I loved Mirabella.
I looked at the flowers in my hands. They were roses, her favorite. I didn't know what to do with them. I couldn't give them to her anymore.
I walked to the front entrance of the house. The plump woman was gone. I went inside, maneuvering my way around obstacles and making sure I wasn't spotted by servants. I made it up to Fortunado's room. I looked around to see no one was there, and I grabbed a knife I knew Fortunado kept in his bedside table. I almost threw it at Fortunado. I could see him from his bedroom window. But I decided not to.
I looked at the flowers again. They were useless, just like my love for Mirabella. I cut all the flowers in half and ripped up the pedals. I threw the remains on his bed and around the floor.
I looked back out of the window. Fortunado looked almost drunk. I looked at the knife then I looked back at him. I decided to put the knife in his bedside table, back where I found it.
I took one last look at my former friend and my former love. I knew I would see them again. But I knew I would not see them again for a while.
I walked out of his house and all the way to the ship dock. Deciding where I should go, I waited for the next ship to America to dock.
"All aboard," the captain yelled. I got on and looked back at the town I was leaving again. I had friends in America. I would be better off there, for now.
The ship began to sail. Taking off from the dock, people started to roam around the ship. I decided to stand still and look back at the little town in Italy I used to miss. This time, I will not miss it.
I put my hands into my pockets, forgetting what was still in there. I pulled it out. The cloth was as soft as silk as I unwrapped it. Revealing itself to the sunlight, it shined. Even though it was useless, it was by far the most beautiful diamond I have ever seen. I turned it around and looked at it. I was disgusted. I threw it into the ocean, regretting nothing.
I looked back at the land that was almost completely gone. I imagined Fortunado and Mirabella, still, in the garden.
"I'll be back for you, Fortunado… and your heart of Amontillado."