Montresor has thought through his revenge and planned carefully for it.
Montresor first tells the drunken Fortunato that the coveted Amontillado, a rare sherry he wants to sample, is in a certain niche or opening in the wall. As Fortunato stumbles into the niche, Montresor asks him to feel the damp nitre against the wall. Fortunato, very unclear as to what is going on, gets to the end of the niche, finds his way blocked, and stands there "stupidly."
Before Fortunato can figure out what is happening, Montresor has him "fettered ... to the granite" wall. Montresor either has found or attached two "staples" to the wall, about two feet apart. From one, a chain dangles and from the other a padlock. Montresor quickly chains Fortunato by the waist to the wall by attaching the chain to the padlock.
If Fortunato had been sober, this scheme probably would not have worked, but by the time Fortunato sobers up enough to recognize he is in severe danger, it is too late.
Montresor says that he "fettered" Fortunato to the wall:
In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it.
It seems that he shackled the unfortunate man to the wall with a chain, which was then attached to rings embedded in the stone. Montresor was able to do all this because Fortunato was intoxicated and because his victim was not expecting such a fate. Once he has bound him to the wall with the chain, he proceeds to close off the area with bricks and mortar, sealing Fortunato up and dooming him to a slow and miserable death. This act of unspeakable cruelty is revenge for an insult the arrogant and boorish Fortunato gave Montresor. We learn that Fortunato's bones were not found for at least fifty years, joining those of the people buried in the catacombs before he met his fate.
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