Perfect revenge is an action that so many despised people have attempted and so many others have coveted. Appropriate punishment for the offender, success without detection, and accomplishment without regret are all elements of satisfying revenge. All of them were present in “The Cask of Amontillado”. However, even though Montresor's actions seem perfect, he does not meet the criteria for flawless revenge. Poe doesn't really allow readers to be convinced of his main character's peace of mind. Subtle hints are scattered throughout the story that suggest otherwise. Although Montresor wanted to purify his honor from Fortunato's insults, it may well be that he only succeeded in creating a guilty conscience, depriving himself forever of the sweetness of revenge. “The Cask of Amontillado” is narrated in the first person by Montresor. According to John Gruesser, Montresor who "lies on his deathbed, confessing his crime to an old friend, the You of the first paragraph of the story" (129), signifies his guilt fifty years after the murder. It doesn't seem like he's revealing this sin to anyone out of pleasure, but rather out of regret. It is highly unlikely that he would still feel this level of murderous hatred towards an enemy who is nothing more than the pathetic skeletal remains of a man who met his demise because of the drink he loved. Gruesser further speculates that Montresor might actually be speaking. to a priest to relieve his conscience of the fear he felt every day since the assassination of Fortunato (130). Such a theory is further demonstrated when Montresor calmly echoes Fortunato's exclamation, "For God's sake" (Poe, 1597). Fortunato doesn't just cry for mercy during the final moments he has a chance. He also warns Montresor to think about his own demise and the world after (Delaney, 130). Therein lies the source of Montresor's half-century of terror. He was so blinded by his hatred and desire for revenge that he could not think of his own soul. It's only when it's too late that he realizes how much he may have truly affected his own life. Furthermore, just as Fortunato's words may have caused Montresor years of distress, so too did both figures' accomplishment of Montresor's coat of arms. Montresor is the heel, crushing and ending the life of a serpent, who aptly represents Fortunato..