In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor kills Fortunato by leading him into the catacombs under his palazzo. Montresor exploits Fortunato’s pride in his knowledge of wine, luring him with the promise of tasting a rare cask of Amontillado.
Once deep within the catacombs, Montresor chains Fortunato to a wall and begins to build a stone wall in front of him, effectively entombing him alive. Fortunato is initially unaware of Montresor’s true intentions, but as the wall is built, he realizes the grim reality of his situation. Montresor continues to build the wall, ignoring Fortunato’s pleas for mercy, until Fortunato is completely sealed off from the outside world.
Montresor’s method of killing Fortunato is both psychological and physical. He ensures that Fortunato is fully conscious and aware of his impending doom, which adds to the horror of the act. The story ends with Montresor revealing that fifty years have passed since the murder, and Fortunato’s body has never been discovered.