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MONTES - Gawain 2
MONTES - Gawain 2
2. “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best 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.”
Salin:
(Lubos kong tiniis ang pinsalang naranasan ko mula kay Fortunato, ngunit nung
sinubok nya akong insultuhin ay nangako akong maghihiganti. Sa sinumang
nakakakilala sa akin ay hindi mag-aakalang ako ay may kakayahang magdulot ng
kapahamakan. Ang aking paghihiganti ay tiyak na aking mapagtatagumpayhan—
ngunit sa kabila nitong katiyakan ay may hamak na panganib rin. Kailangan kong
makapaghiganti nang walang katumbas na kaparusahan. Kung malamon ng
paghihiganti ang tagapag-tuwid ng kamalian, walang kamalian ang maitutuwid.
Mabibigo ang naghihiganti kung ang kanyang mararamdaman na siya ang nag-
dulot ng kasamaan.)
Lubos kong tiniis ang pinsalang naranasan ko mula kay Fortunato, ngunit nung sinubok
nya akong insultuhin ay nangako akong maghihiganti. Sa sinumang nakakakilala sa akin
ay hindi mag-aakalang ako ay may kakayahang magdulot ng kapahamakan. Ang aking
paghihiganti ay tiyak na aking mapagtatagumpayhan—ngunit sa kabila nitong katiyakan
ay may hamak na panganib rin. Kailangan kong makapaghiganti nang walang katumbas
na kaparusahan. Kung malamon ng paghihiganti ang tagapag-tuwid ng kamalian, walang
kamalian ang maitutuwid. Mabibigo ang naghihiganti kung ang kanyang mararamdaman
na siya ang nag-dulot ng masama.
Hindi ko kailanman binigyan ng kadahilanan si Fortunato na ako’y hindi nya
mapagkatiwalaan. Ipinakita ko sa kanya ang mukhang gusto nya lamang na makita, ang
mga ngiting hindi nya alam na may kagustuhang syang pagkasakitan.
Sabi ko sa kanya – ”Mahal na kaibigan, mabuti na lang ay nagkita tayo ngayon Fortunato.
Kapresentapresentable ngayon ang hitsura mo! Ngunit nakatanggap ako ng isang tubo
na katumbas ng isang Amontillado, at ako ay may pagdududa.”
“Mayroon akong pagdududa," ang aking sagot; "na-uto ako sa pagbabayad ng buong
presyo ng Amontillado ng hindi kumukunsulta sa iyo. Hindi kita makita, at natakot ako
na hindi ito makuha sa pakikipagtwaran.”
”Amontillado!”
”Nagdududa ako!”
”Amontillado!”
”Amontillado!”
”At dahil abala ka, pupunta na ak okay Luchesi. Siya ang ay kritikal sa panunuri.
Sasabihin niysa sa akin—”
“Gayon pa man, may mga hangal pa rin na magiisip na ang panlasa ni Luchesi ay
katumbas ng sa iyo Fortunato.”
“Saan?”
”Hindi, aking kaibigan; hindi kita pinipilit. Alam kong may pinagkakaabalahan kang ibang
bagay ngayon. Luchesi—”
”Wala akong pakialam, halika na. Wala lang sakin itong sipon na ‘to. Amontillado! Pinipilit
na kita. At si Luchesi ay hindi niya makikita ang kaibahan ng Sherry sa Amontillado.”
Walang mga katulong ngayon sa bahay; sila ay tumakas upang magsaya sa karangalan
ng panahon. Sinabi ko sa kanila na hindi ako babalik hangga’t mag-umaga, at binigyan
ko sila ng malinaw na pag-uutos na huwag kumilos sa loob ng bahay. Ang mga utos ko
ay sapat na, alam ko ang kung paano sila lahat paalisin, sa sandaling tumalikod ako.
Kinuha ko ang dalawa sa kanilang mga tanglaw, at ibinigay kay Fortunato ang isa, iniyuko
ko siya sa ilang mga kuwarto at mga arko na patungong pintugang silong. Dumaan kani
sa mahabang paikot na hagdanan, sinabi k osa kanya na mag-ingat siya sa paglakad.
Sa wakas ay nakarating kami sa pinakababa ng hagdanan, itinapak namin ang aming
paanan sa mamasa-masang lupa ng katakumba ng mga Montressor.
Ang lakad ng aking kaibigan ay hindi matatag, at ang mga kampanilya sa kanyang
sumbrero ay tumunog habang siya ay naglalakad.
"Ito ay mas malayo pa," sabi ko; "ngunit pagmasdan ang puting tabing na kumikinang
mula sa mga pader ng yungib na ito."
Lumingon siya sa akin at tumingin gamit ang kanyang dalawang nagluluhang mga mata
na gawa ng kanyang pagkalasing.
”Nitre?” ang mahaba niyang tanong.
”Uhu! Uhu! Uhu! -- Uhu! Uhu! Uhu! -- Uhu! Uhu! Uhu! -- Uhu! Uhu! Uhu! -- Uhu! Uhu!
Uhu!”
”Halika,” Sabi ko, nang may pag-desisyon, ”babalik tayo; mas mahalaga ang iyong
kalusugan. Ikay ay mayaman, iginagalang, hinahangaan, minamahal; masaya ka, tulad
ko rin dati. Ikaw ay isang tao na mami-miss na marami. Walang kwenta ito sa akin.
Babalik tayo; baka magkasakit ka, ayokong maging responsable dito. At saka, andyan na
man si Luchesi—”
”Tama na,” sabi niya; ”wala sakin ‘tong ubo na ito, hindi ako mamamatay dahil dito. Hindi
ako mamamatay nang dahil sa ubo.”
”Tama—tama,” ang sagot ko; ”at, sa katunayan, wala akong intensyon na alarmahin ka—
pero kailangan mo pa rin na mag-ingat. Isang alak lang na mula sa Medoc ay mailalagay
tayo papalayo sa pa umidong kapaligiran.”
Heto, binuksan ko ang bote na ito mula sa mga kasama niton giba pang mga alak.
”Inumin mo ‘to,” and sabi ko, habang pinakita ko sa kanya ang alak.
Itinaas niya ang kanyang labi ng pairap. Tumigil siya and tumango sa akin, habang
tumutunog and kanyang kampana.
”Iinomin ko ‘to,” sabi niya, ”para sa mga namayapang labi sa paligid natin.”
“Isang napakalaking paa ng tao, sa isang asul na kapaligirab; dinudurong ng paa ang
ahas na ang pangin ay nakabaon sa sakong.”
Kiminang sa kanyang mga mata ang alak at tumunig ang kanyang kampana. Ang aking
kagarbohan ay naging mainit sa Medoc. Nadaanan namin ang mga pader ng nakatambak
na mga buto, na may mga bariles at mga poste na naghahalo, papunta sa pinakaloob ng
mga katakumba. Muli akong huminto, at sa pagkakataong ito ay naglakas loob akong
hawakan si Fortunato sa isang braso sa itaas ng siko.
“Ang nitre!” sabi ko: “kita mo na, tumindi pa ito. Nagkalat na ito nang parang mga lumot
sa buong silong. Tayo ay nasa ibaba na ng ilog. Ang mga patak ng kahalumigmigan ay
tumutulo sa sa mga buto. Halika, babalik tayo bago pa mahuli ang lahat. Ang ubo mo—”
“Wala lang ito,” sabi niya; “magpatungo na tayo. Pero una, is pang alak ng Medoc.”
“Binuksan ko at ibinigay sa kanya ang flaçon of De Grâve. Nilugok niya ito nang isang
saglit. Kuminang ang kanyang mga mata. Tumawa siya at inihagis ang bote pataas na
may pagkumpas na hindi ko maintindihan.
Tumingin ako sa kanya ng may pagka-surpresa. Inulit niya ito ng may nakakatuwang
itsura.
“Papaano?”
”Eto na,” sabi ko, inilabas ko ang dulos mula sa aking balabal.
Sa pinaka-liblib na dulo ng katakumba ay mas sumikip pa. Ang mga pader ay may mga
naka-linyang labi ng mga tao, na nakasalansan sa itaas ng silong, sa paraan ng dakilang
katakumba ng Paris. Ang tatlong panig ng panloob na silid na ito ay pinalamutian pa rin
sa ganitong paraan. Mula sa ikaapat ang mga buto ay itinapon pababa, at nakahiga sa
lupa, na bumubuo sa isang punto ng isang punso na may ilang sukat. Sa loob ng pader
na nalantad sa pamamagitan ng pag-alis ng mga buto, nakita namin ang isang pa rin sa
loob ng recess, sa lalim na mga apat na talampakan, sa lapad tatlo, sa taas anim o pito.
Tila ito ay itinayo para sa walang espesyal na paggamit sa loob mismo, ngunit nabuo
lamang ang pagitan sa pagitan ng dalawa sa napakalaking suporta ng bubong ng mga
katakumba, at sinuportahan sa pamamagitan ng isa sa kanilang mga pader ng solidong
granayt.
Nawalang kabuluhan si Fortunato, itinaas nya ang kanyang tanglaw, pinilit niyang sumilip
sa kailaliman ng dakong loob. Ang nanghihinang ilaw ay hindi na namin makita.
”Magpatuloy ka,” ang sabi ko; ”Naririto na ang Amontillado. Tungkol naman kay Luchesi—
”
”Siya ay isang ignoramus,” ang putol niya sa akin, habang siya ay humakbabang
pasulong, sinundan ko naman ang mga sakong niya. Sa madaling sandali, nakarating na
siya sa dulo ng nitso, at ng napagtanto niyang wala nang hangganan, ay nagtaka sya.
Ilan pang sandali ay itinali ko na siya sa granayt. Sa ibabaw nito ay dalawang bakal na
nakaliko, na magkalayo ng dalawang dipa. Isa sa mga ito ay nakakabit sa isang maliit na
kadina, na nagmula sa kabilang kandado. Ibinato ko ang mga kadena sa kanyang
baywang, konti na lamang ay makakandado ko na ito. Hindi na siya nakalaban sa sobrang
pagtataka. Pagka-susi ko ay umusod ako papalayo sa nitso.
”Ibigay mo sa akin ang iyong kamay,” ang sabi ko sa kanya, ”sa taas ng dingding; wala
kang magagawa kundi ang maamoy ang nitre. Tama, sobrang humido nito. Isa pa, pipilitin
na kitang bumalik. Hindi? Kung ganon ay iiwan na kita talaga. Ibibigay ko muna sayo
lahat ng konting atensiyon sa lubos ng aking makakaya.”
Habang sinasabi ko ang mag salitang ito ay abala ako sa pagtumpok ng mga buto. Muli
Sa pagsasangtabi ko sa mga ito ay nakita ko na rin sa wakas ang bungkos ng mga bato
at argamansa. Inumpisahan ko nang tabingan ng pader ang labasan ng nitso, gamit ang
mga materyales na ito at ng aking dulos.
Hatinggabi na ngayon, at malapit nang matapos ang gawain ko. Nakumpleto ko na ang
ikawalo, ang ikasiyam, at ang ikasampung baitang. Natapos ko na ang isang bahagi ng
huli at ang ikalabing-isa; may isa na lang na natitirang bato na kailangang mai-plaster.
Nahirapan ako sa bigat nito; Inilagay ko ito ng bahagya sa nakatakdang posisyon nito.
Ngunit may biglang isang tawa na nagmulamula sa nitso ang nakapagtayo ng balahibo
sa aking ulo. Napalitan ito ng isang malungkot na boses, na nahirapan akong kilalanin
bilang yaong ng marangal na si Fortunato. Sabi ng boses-
”He! He! He! – He! He! He! – oo, and Amontillado. Pero hindi ba gabi na? Hindi pa ba nila
tayo hinihintay as palasyo— si Ginang Fortunato at ang iba pa? Umalis na tayo.”
Ngunit as mga salitang ito ay wala akong natanggap na sagot. Nainip ako at tinawag ko
siya ng malakas—
”Fortunato!”
-WAKAS-
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best 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. 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.
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.
In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter
of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; — I was
skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.
It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that
I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking
much. The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head
was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him that I thought
I should never have done wringing his hand.
I said to him — “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are
looking to-day! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my
doubts.”
“How?” said he. “Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!”
“I have my doubts,” I replied; “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.”
“Amontillado!”
“Amontillado!”
“As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He
will tell me ——”
“And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.”
“Whither?”
“To your vaults.”
“My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an
engagement. Luchesi ——”
“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 nitre.”
“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.”
Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Putting on a mask of black silk
and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my
palazzo.
There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the
time. I had told them that I should not return until 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.
I took from their sconces two flambeaux, and giving one to Fortunato, bowed him through
several suites of rooms to the archway that led into the vaults. I passed down a long and
winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. We came at length to
the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of the
Montresors.
The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled as he strode.
He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum
of intoxication .
“Ugh! ugh! ugh! — ugh! ugh! ugh! — ugh! ugh! ugh! — ugh! ugh! ugh! — ugh! ugh! ugh!”
“Come,” I said, with decision, “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 ——”
“Enough,” he said; “the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a
cough.”
“True — true,” I replied; “and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you unnecessarily —
but you should use all proper caution. A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the
damps.”
Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of its fellows that lay
upon the mould.
“Drink,” I said, presenting him the wine.
He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells
jingled.
“A huge human foot d‘or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs
are imbedded in the heel.”
“Good!” he said.
The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the
Medoc. We had passed through walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons
intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs. I paused again, and this time I
made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow.
“The nitre!” I said: “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
ere it is too late. Your cough ——”
“It is nothing,” he said; “let us go on. But first, another draught of the Medoc.”
I broke and reached him a flaçon of De Grâve. He emptied it at a breath. His eyes flashed
with a fierce light. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not
understand.
“How?”
“A mason,” I replied.
“A sign,” he said.
“It is this,” I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire.
“You jest,” he exclaimed, 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 within
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, endeavoured to pry into the depths of
the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see.
“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 will 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.
As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of bones of which I have before
spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar.
With these materials and with the aid of my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the
entrance of the niche.
I had scarcely laid the first tier of my masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of
Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low
moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was not the cry of a drunken man. There was
then a long and obstinate silence. I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and
then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. The noise lasted for several minutes,
during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours
and sat down upon the bones. When at last the clanking subsided, I resumed the trowel,
and finished without interruption the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh tier. The wall was
now nearly upon a level with my breast. I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over
the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within.
A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained
form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a brief moment I hesitated, I trembled.
Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an
instant reassured me. I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt
satisfied. I reapproached the wall. I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed
— I aided — I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer
grew still.
It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had completed the eighth, the
ninth [[,]] and the tenth tier. I had finished a portion of the last and the eleventh; there
remained but a single stone to be fitted and plastered in. I struggled with its weight; I
placed it partially in its destined position. But now there came from out the niche a low
laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was succeeded by a sad voice, which I had
difficulty in recognising as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said —
“Ha! ha! ha! — he! he! he! — a very good joke, indeed — an excellent jest. We will have
many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo — he! he! he! — over our wine — he! he! he!”
“He! he! he! — he! he! he! — yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late? Will not they
be awaiting us at the palazzo — the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us be gone.”
But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. I called aloud —
“Fortunato!”
-END-